How to tell flu, COVID-19 and a cold apart, who needs antivirals within 48 hours, when to call 999, who can have a free vaccine this autumn, and same-day doctor appointments in London, updated with UKHSA data from October 2026.

What causes earache in adults, how to tell a middle ear infection from an outer ear infection, when antibiotics help, why sudden hearing loss is urgent, and same-day ear examinations in London.

How long a stomach bug or food poisoning lasts, how to spot dehydration, the 48-hour rule for work, when to see a doctor the same day and when to call 999, with same-day appointments in London by video, in clinic or at home.

The best scan is the one that answers your question with the least risk, and that is often not the most expensive one. Ultrasound uses sound waves, involves no radiation and is the first test for most problems in the gallbladder, liver, kidneys, thyroid, pelvis and leg veins. MRI uses a strong magnet, also involves no radiation, and shows soft tissues such as the brain, spinal cord, joints and prostate in fine detail. CT uses X-rays to build cross-sectional images quickly and is the workhorse for the chest, abdomen and urgent problems, but a CT of the abdomen and pelvis delivers a radiation dose comparable to several years of natural background radiation. A plain X-ray is quick and very low dose, and suits bones and the chest. In the UK, any scan using radiation must be justified by a referrer under the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017, which is why a doctor’s assessment comes first. For some problems the right answer is no scan at all. NICE advises against routine imaging for low back pain without warning signs, because scans often show age-related changes that do not explain the pain. At The Wellness you are assessed first, by video or in person, and the right scan is arranged at the London centre best equipped for the question, performed by an experienced sonographer or radiographer and reported by a consultant radiologist, usually within days. Fees appear further down this page.

A blood test result marked high or low is common, and most of the time it is not a sign of disease. Laboratory reference ranges are usually set so that 95% of healthy people fall inside them, which means 1 healthy person in 20 will be outside the range for any single test. On a panel of 20 tests, around 2 in 3 healthy people would have at least one result flagged purely by chance. Many flags have simple explanations. A finger-prick sample that has broken down can falsely raise potassium. Hard exercise in the days before the test raises muscle enzymes. A recent cold can raise ferritin and inflammation markers. High-dose biotin, found in many hair and nail supplements, can make thyroid results look overactive, according to guidance from the Association for Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine. Low vitamin D is expected in most people in a British winter. Some flags do matter, and the skill lies in telling them apart, by reading each result alongside the others, your symptoms, your history and any earlier results. At The Wellness a doctor reviews your results with you by video the same day, from £150, explains every flag, and arranges a repeat or further test only where it would change what happens next. Fees appear further down this page.

Delayed diagnosis of cancer is one of the commonest and highest-value claims in primary care, and it turns on two separate questions answered by two kinds of expert. Breach of duty asks whether the GP’s care fell below the standard of a reasonably competent GP, judged against the guidance and practice in force at the time, above all the NICE NG12 criteria for urgent referral for suspected cancer, and that opinion must come from a GP. Causation asks what would have happened with timely referral, and in England it must be proved on the balance of probabilities, because the House of Lords in Gregg v Scott refused to compensate a lost chance of a better outcome that was below 50%. The system context makes these claims frequent. In March 2026, 79.4% of patients in England received a diagnosis or had cancer ruled out within the 28-day Faster Diagnosis Standard against a target of 80%, and 72.8% started treatment within 62 days against 75%. NHS Resolution received 14,428 new claims and reported incidents in 2024/25, with damages of almost £2.3 billion. The Wellness Medico-Legal Wing provides CPR Part 35 compliant GP breach of duty reports for delayed cancer diagnosis claims from £4,950 plus VAT, with records screening opinions from £750 plus VAT, priced at the senior consultant tier. Instructions are accepted nationally from claimant firms, defendant organisations and insurers.

If you have run out of, lost or forgotten your antidepressant while visiting London, the most important thing is not to stop suddenly and to get a UK prescription within a day or two. Stopping an antidepressant abruptly can cause discontinuation symptoms, such as dizziness, nausea, headache, irritability, sleep disturbance, flu-like feelings and brief electric shock sensations. The largest review to date, published in The Lancet Psychiatry in 2024 and covering 79 studies and 21,002 people, found that around 31% of people who stopped an antidepressant reported at least one such symptom, about 15% had symptoms caused directly by stopping, and about 3% had severe symptoms. Medicines that leave the body quickly, such as paroxetine and venlafaxine, tend to cause symptoms sooner, often within a few days. A London pharmacy cannot dispense a prescription written in most countries outside the UK, so a UK doctor is the reliable route. Antidepressants are not controlled drugs, so a doctor who has reviewed your medication and history can usually prescribe at the first appointment. At The Wellness you can be seen the same day, 7 days a week, by video from £150, in person from £220 or at your hotel from £495, in confidence, with the prescription sent to a pharmacy near you. Fees appear further down this page.

A multi-cancer blood test looks for cancer signals in the blood, while a whole-body MRI looks for structural changes in organs. The blood test suits adults over 50 who want to add to routine screening. MRI suits people with specific inherited risks. Neither replaces established screening. The Online GP by The Wellness helps you choose after a doctor-led assessment.

MRI suits soft tissues such as the brain, spine, joints, prostate and liver. CT suits the lungs, bones, bleeding and fast emergency imaging. Ultrasound suits the gallbladder, thyroid, pelvis, kidneys and lumps under the skin. The right scan depends on the question a doctor needs answered. The Online GP by The Wellness assesses you first, then arranges the scan that fits.

A doctor-led MRI screening assessment starts with a consultation that decides whether a scan will help you and which scan is right. The doctor completes the safety checks and writes the referral, a consultant radiologist reports the images, and the doctor explains the result as a clear answer and plan. The Online GP by The Wellness runs this pathway from Marylebone.

A whole-body MRI scan is worth it for some people, particularly those with inherited cancer syndromes or a strong family history, but it is not a proven screening test for everyone. Scans often find harmless incidental findings that lead to more tests. The Online GP by The Wellness starts with a doctor-led assessment that decides whether a scan suits you, and which scan.

Men aged 50 and over can choose a PSA blood test after discussing the benefits and limits with a doctor. In May 2026, the UK National Screening Committee recommended screening only for men aged 45 to 61 with a BRCA2 gene change and a family history of cancer. A raised PSA is usually followed by a prostate MRI before any biopsy.

The blood tests that most often explain tiredness are a full blood count, ferritin for iron stores, thyroid function, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D, HbA1c for blood sugar, kidney and liver function, and inflammation markers. A doctor chooses the right set based on your symptoms. The Online GP by The Wellness offers doctor-led blood panels from £350.

ApoB and lipoprotein(a) are blood tests that measure heart disease risk more precisely than a standard cholesterol test. ApoB counts the particles that build up in artery walls. Lipoprotein(a) is an inherited risk factor that is raised in about 1 in 5 people. The Online GP by The Wellness offers both within doctor-led blood panels in Marylebone.

A full private blood test in 2026 should cover blood count, kidney and liver function, thyroid, blood sugar, cholesterol, iron stores, vitamin B12, folate, vitamin D and inflammation. Advanced panels add ApoB, lipoprotein(a) and hormones. The Online GP by The Wellness offers doctor-led blood panels from £350, with every result read by a GMC-registered doctor.

An online prescription depends on safe assessment, not a shopping list. Learn when records, monitoring or an examination come first.

Before booking from abroad, check country eligibility, prescribing limits, local tests, referral acceptance and the follow-up plan.

Use a practical checklist to compare online GPs: registration, safe prescribing, examination limits, follow-up and clear fees.

Prepare for an online HRT review with medicine details, symptom changes and bleeding history. Understand review timing, hormone-test limits and urgent warning signs.