Helping People Find Their Way

Living with unexplained symptoms can be confusing, frustrating, and isolating. Many people feel dismissed, overlooked, or lost within the healthcare system.

Forgotten Patients, Overlooked Diseases exists to support people with persistent or medically unexplained symptoms, through education, research, patient stories, and practical guidance.

What We Offer

Signposting

Helping patients find trustworthy resources, specialists, and support networks.

Support

Providing guidance for people navigating complex or unexplained symptoms.

Education & Awareness

Improving understanding of medically unexplained symptoms through education and outreach.

Research

Supporting initiatives that improve recognition, care, and understanding of persistent symptoms.

Resources for Patients

These guides will help you navigate your health journey. Learn how to handle GP visits, hospital appointments, and living with Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS). Each guide provides practical advice, information, and strategies for navigating the healthcare system.

GP Visits

Hospital Appointments

Medically Unexplained Symptoms

Patient Stories

Behind every condition is a person and a story. Many people living with persistent or poorly understood symptoms face long and frustrating journeys to recognition and care.

By sharing these stories, we aim to highlight lived experience, raise awareness, and improve understanding among clinicians, researchers, and the wider public.

Fundraising

Run the Royal Parks Half Marathon for Forgotten Patients, Overlooked Diseases

In October, we will be running the Royal Parks Half Marathon in London to raise funds for Forgotten Patients, Overlooked Diseases.

The event will support our work to improve awareness, research, and support for people living with overlooked conditions.

Help us raise awareness and give forgotten patients a voice.

Run for Forgotten Patients

Upcoming Event

Our 3rd Annual Conference will take place on 24 June at the Royal College of Physicians, London.

The event will bring together clinicians, researchers, patients, and advocates to discuss the challenges surrounding persistent and overlooked conditions and explore ways to improve care and understanding.

Programme and registration details coming soon.

Jess's Rule

An important step forward in patient safety

Jess’s Rule is a proposed patient safety initiative encouraging clinicians to reconsider a diagnosis when symptoms persist after multiple consultations. Named after Jessica Brady, it highlights the importance of revisiting assumptions and listening carefully to patients with ongoing concerns.

Seeking a second opinion in the face of uncertainty should be seen as good practice, not a weakness. While this represents a positive cultural shift, further work is needed to ensure people with complex or unexplained symptoms are properly supported and signposted.

Movement for Good

The Benefact Group’s Movement for Good initiative provides funding to charities through public nominations and grant rounds.

Please consider nominating Forgotten Patients, Overlooked Diseases to help support our work.

Learn More