by Dr Sarah Jarvis MBE, FRCGP, Clinical Director

Author: Dr Jarvis became a GP in 1990 after training at Cambridge and Oxford. A partner in the same practice for almost 30 years, she now works regularly as a GP locum. Since 2017, Dr Jarvis has been Clinical Director of patient.co.uk, and is perhaps best known as the doctor to Radio 2 and ITV lunchtime news, with regular appearances for almost 20 years.

Target audience: For healthcare professionals working in primary care, as well as those with an interest in managing digestive health.

Learning objectives: By the end of this article, you should:

- Have an overview of the diagnostic criteria for IBS

- Understand evidence-based interventions for IBS management

- Understand when to refer on to members of the multidisciplinary (MDT) team

- Be aware of key factors when considering recommending a probiotic and the supporting evidence base for efficacy