Sussex doctors are to advise students across the country using the internet.

The University of Sussex health centre runs an advice web site for Sussex-based students.

This autumn it goes nation wide.

Manager Mark Taylor said: "We felt the site was needed because there was nothing on the internet offering comprehensive health advice, written by GPs, aimed solely at students.

There are plenty of sites offering general health advice and some are very good.

But all too often the information is buried deep. "StudentHealth.co.uk is written entirely by GPs practising at a surgery on a university campus.

"They see students every day so they know what concerns them most. This enables them to keep the site up-to-date with relevant articles.

People can read the advice in private if they are embarrassed by the subject matter."

The site is split into categories such as sexual health, skin complaints, respiratory problems and sections on travel, sports injuries and men's and women's health.

It is updated weekly and offers printable advice leaflets on topical and studentrelated issues.

Mr Taylor said: "The health centre at the University of Sussex has a stock of basic advice leaflets to give to patients.

"The doctors thought it would be useful if our patients could have access to these outside the surgery and the internet was the obvious solution.

We realised this student- specific advice would be valuable to students anywhere in the UK, not just our own patients.

"We have split the site into two.

"One area has details pertinent only to our patients, such as opening times and special clinics we run on campus and the other is for all students to access the advice leaflets and links.

The site includes details and links to university health centres across the UK and more than 100 support and self help groups.

"We have developed an online registration system so we can register new patients through the internet.

"In October each year, we can expect to register up to 3,000 new students which is a lot of form-filling for our staff.

With this system, new patients can register themselves when it's convenient and the information is copied straight into our clinical system meaning less work for us and a lot less queuing for the students.

"We're also working on an online appointment system for students to choose times that fit in better with their lectures.

We plan to make the system available to other surgeries and companies that could benefit from it."

Mr Taylor said work was under way to produce an online health quiz to help schools and youth organisations promote health awareness.

The quiz was designed for three age groups under 16, 16 to 18 and 18 plus.

The questions had links to relevant advice leaflets on the site and participants' answers could be automatically mailed to their teacher or youth leader.

Mr Taylor said: "We provide back-up documentation to help the teachers or leaders identify and correct any misconceptions.

"Use of the quiz will be free to schools and youth organisations and we've already had interest from some Sussex schools and the Guides Association."

The site is compiled by seven staff, including four doctors providing regular content.

Occasional contributions are added by two nurses.

www.studenthealth.co.uk