PLAIN English champions have praised a York GP for her healthy heart leaflet for patients - because of its clear prose.

Dr Nicola Gill, who works at the Jorvik Medical Practice, wrote the Keeping Your Heart Healthy leaflet to help patients at risk of or suffering from heart disease to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

As well as explaining medical terms like "ischaemic heart disease" and "hypertension", the leaflet also gives information on helpful websites and which drugs can help the condition.

Details about "risk factors" for heart disease, such as having diabetes, being overweight and being a smoker, are also included.

Now Dr Gill has been rewarded for her efforts with a prize from the Plain English Campaign, a pressure group formed in 1979 to promote clearly-written language. Last year's awards were presented by journalist Matthew Parris.

The group praised the "short, simple pamphlet" which explained in layman's terms, what heart disease was and how to keep healthy.

Judges were impressed by its "conversational tone" which dealt with a serious medical subject in a non-threatening way.

Now the practice is to use the leaflet as part of a campaign for its hundreds of patients with high blood pressure - or "hypertension".

Dr Gill explained that these patients often missed their six-monthly check-up, and were being actively called in to surgery for a review including a blood pressure and blood test check, when the leaflet will be handed out.

It has also been given to patients either at risk from or suffering from heart disease to give help on the condition and the importance of diet and exercise.

"It's to give a positive, clear message to patients about what we're trying to do," said Dr Gill. "I think they're swimming in information that's neither clear nor applicable to them. The leaflet was written in an attempt to give a consistent and positive piece of advice.

"What I wanted was something that wouldn't date. It was written simply. It wasn't dumbing down the information we wanted to get across."

Some extracts from Dr Gill's health heart leaflet

High blood pressure (hypertension): High blood pressure means that the pressure in your arteries is too high. Reducing your blood pressure helps protect your arteries and reduces the risk of developing heart disease and strokes.

What is ischaemic heart disease? The heart is a muscle and requires oxygen and nutrients via its own blood supply to function properly. There are many conditions that affect the heart. The blood vessels that supply the heart can become damaged by a gradual build-up of fatty material in their walls.

Exercise: To gain benefit you need to get warm, mildly out of breath and feel your heart rate increase.

Updated: 09:37 Thursday, March 02, 2006