Horizon Medical Education Podcast

An acute exacerbation of COPD can look like many other causes of worsening breathlessness. In this episode, we look at how to recognise ECOPD, assess its severity and identify important alternative diagnoses, before considering when hospital admission is needed and how to approach initial treatment, including bronchodilators, controlled oxygen, corticosteroids and antibiotics. We also cover safety-netting and reassessment.

Presented by Dr Fran Fieldhouse and Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education

By the end of this episode, you should be able to:

• Recognise the key features and common triggers of an acute exacerbation of COPD.

• Take a focused history and identify important differential diagnoses.

• Assess severity using clinical findings and appropriate investigations.

• Describe the initial management of ECOPD and when hospital admission should be considered.

Download the supporting notes and complete the CPD quiz:
https://www.horizonmedicaleducation.com

References:

1. Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)

2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

3. British Thoracic Society (BTS)

👉For the full free course, supporting notes ,CPD points and certificates, visit https://www.horizonmedicaleducation.com.

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This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and does not replace clinical judgement or local guidelines.

In this final episode of the Postpartum Family Planning course, Minnie is joined by consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Rob Burnie to explore how effective counselling can support women and couples to make informed, voluntary choices about contraception.

The episode introduces practical communication skills and the GATHER approach, and uses clinical case examples to demonstrate how these principles can be applied in practice.

Video by Medical Aid Videos "counselling for postpartum

family planning"

Learning Objectives
By the end of this episode, you should be able to:

• Define interpersonal communication and counselling in the context of postpartum family planning.
• Identify the qualities of an effective, respectful and non-judgemental counsellor.
• Recognise barriers to effective communication and counselling.
• Apply the GATHER approach when counselling women and couples about postpartum family planning.

Supporting Notes & CPD/CME
👉 Download the supporting notes and complete the CPD quiz:
www.horizonmedicaleducation.com

Key Topics Covered

• Informed and voluntary choice
• Communication and active listening
• Barriers, bias and misconceptions
• The GATHER counselling approach
• Partner involvement and women's autonomy
• Applying counselling skills to clinical cases
• Choosing contraception to support safe birth spacing

References

1. Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH)
2. World Health Organization (WHO)
3. Current evidence and international guidance on postpartum family planning and contraceptive counselling

For supporting notes, CPD points and certificates, visit www.horizonmedicaleducation.com.
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Disclaimer
This podcast is intended for educational purposes only and does not replace clinical judgment or local guidelines.

What is it really like to work on the frontline during an Ebola outbreak?

In this episode, Dr Yusuf Tejan reflects on his experience on the frontline during the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, the largest Ebola epidemic recorded to date.

Speaking from his perspective as a medical student and volunteer at the time, he describes how the outbreak unfolded, the challenges of working in communities, and why trust, communication and community engagement were so important in controlling transmission.

He also shares the personal reality of working alongside healthcare workers at considerable risk, including the isolation and anxiety experienced by frontline staff.

We discuss caring for patients, the experiences of survivors, lessons from the West African outbreak, and what those lessons mean for clinicians responding to Ebola outbreaks today.

Host: Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education with

Guest: Dr Yusuf Tejan, Senior Registrar for the Ministry of Health in Sierra Leone and Medical Superintendent at Bo Regional Hospital.

If you enjoyed this episode please follow and if you would like to know more about Ebola head to: www.horizonmedicaleducation.com for all our free courses

Postpartum family planning is one of the most effective interventions for improving maternal and newborn health. In this episode, we discuss why the postpartum period provides a unique opportunity to address contraception, optimise birth spacing, and reduce unintended pregnancies. We review contraceptive options after delivery, their safety during breastfeeding, and practical counselling strategies to support informed, patient-centred decision making.

Presented by Dr Rob Burnie, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, QE Hospital, Lewisham & Greenwich Trust, South London and Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education.

Key topics covered:

• Understand the importance of postpartum family planning for maternal and infant health
• Explain the benefits of healthy birth spacing and the return of fertility after childbirth

• Apply practical counselling principles to support shared decision making

Download the supporting notes and complete the CPD quiz to receive your certificate of accredited learning:
https://www.horizonmedicaleducation.com

References

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Current evidence and international guidance on postpartum family planning

If you found this episode useful, please follow us and share it with your colleagues.

Thank you!

In the final part of our Ebola Disease series, we explore emerging therapies for Bundibugyo virus disease, prognosis and predictors of survival, long-term complications in survivors, and the role of immunity and vaccination in outbreak control. We also discuss post-Ebola syndrome, viral persistence, public health prevention strategies, and have some practical case-based scenarios for you to bring together the key learning points from the series.

Presented by Dr Fran Fieldhouse and Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education.

Key Topics Covered

• Emerging antivirals and monoclonal antibody therapies
• Prognosis and predictors of survival
• Acute and long-term complications of Ebola disease
• Post-Ebola syndrome and survivor follow-up
• Viral persistence and sexual health considerations
• Public health prevention and outbreak control
• Immunity after infection
• Ebola vaccines and ring vaccination strategies
• Case-based clinical scenarios

References

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• WHO Technical Advisory Group on Therapeutics Prioritisation for Bundibugyo Virus Disease (2026)
• WHO Ebola Vaccination Guidance
• Current literature on Ebola therapeutics, survivor outcomes, immunity, and outbreak response

Download the notes and complete the CPD quiz at: https://www.horizonmedicaleducation.com/

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In this episode, we revisit the principles of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and infection prevention and control (IPC) in the context of recent outbreaks including Ebola, Marburg, and other high-consequence infectious diseases. We discuss how healthcare workers can assess exposure risk, select appropriate PPE, and safely care for patients while minimising occupational transmission.

Presented by Dr Fran Fieldhouse and Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education.

Key topics covered

• The role of PPE within standard infection prevention and control precautions (IPC)
• Select appropriate PPE based on contact, droplet, airborne, and high-consequence infectious disease risks
• Donning and doffing PPE safely
• PPE principles in outbreak situations and emergency care scenarios and lessons from Ebola and Covid-19 outbreaks.

Download the supporting notes and complete the CPD quiz to receive your certificate of accredited learning:
https://www.horizonmedicaleducation.com

References

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• UK Infection Prevention and Control Guidance
• Resuscitation Council UK Guidance
• The Lancet Global Health
• WHO PPE and Ebola IPC Resources

For notes and CPD points, visit https://www.horizonmedicaleducation.com.

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In this episode, we focus on the practical aspects of diagnosing and managing Ebola disease during an outbreak . We discuss laboratory testing, screening and risk assessment, supportive care, and the management of common complications. We also review current treatment options and the importance of early recognition and intervention in improving patient outcomes.

Presented by Dr Fran Fieldhouse and Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education

Key Topics Covered

• Diagnostic testing and laboratory investigations
• Screening, risk assessment, and case identification
• Infection prevention and healthcare worker safety
• Supportive care and fluid management
• Management of complications and critical illness
• Current therapeutic options for Ebola disease

References

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• WHO Clinical Management and Supportive Care Guidelines
• Current literature on Ebola diagnosis, treatment, and outbreak response

Download the notes and complete the CPD quiz to receive your certificate of accredited learning at:⁠ https://www.horizonmedicaleducation.com⁠

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Thank you.

In this episode we are discussing Ebola disease, from its origins and outbreak history including the current outbreak in the DRC and Uganda, to the biological mechanisms driving severe illness. We cover how the infection spreads, how to assess epidemiological risk and how clinicians can recognise suspected cases in practice.

Presented by Dr Fran Fieldhouse and Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education.

Key Topics Covered

• Key facts and causative Ebola viruses
• Transmission, zoonotic spillover, and viral shedding
• Historical and current outbreaks
• Pathophysiology and host immune response
• Exposure risk assessment and case definitions
• Clinical presentation and assessment,
• Differential diagnosis of acute febrile illness and haemorrhagic fever

References

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• WHO Infection Prevention & Control Guidelines
• Current literature on Ebola epidemiology and outbreak management

Download the notes and complete the CPD quiz to receive your certificate of accredited learning at https://www.horizonmedicaleducation.com

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In this episode we focus on prevention and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) including identifying risk factors, slowing disease progression and managing complications.

This episode builds on part 1 and is designed for clinicians in a range of settings with particular relevance to primary care and low resource environments where early detection

and intervention are critical.

Presented by Dr Fran Fieldhouse and Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education

Key Topics Covered

• Prevention strategies in CKD (primary, secondary, tertiary)
• CKD management in low- and middle-income settings
• Blood pressure targets and ACE inhibitor/ARB use
• Diabetes management and renal protection
• Avoiding nephrotoxins and medication adjustment
• Management of complications (anaemia, fluid overload, bone disease)
• Indications for nephrology referral and renal replacement therapy

References

• International Society of Nephrology – Global Kidney Health Atlas
• Global Burden of Disease Study
• KDIGO CKD Guidelines

Download the notes and complete the CPD quiz to receive your certificate of accredited learning at ⁠⁠www.horizonmedicaleducation.com⁠⁠

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In this episode we cover the essentials of chronic kidney disease: including global burden, definition, key causes, and a practical approach to diagnosis in clinical practice and a particular focus on primary care.

Presented by Dr Fran Fieldhouse and Dr Minnie Lacamp, Horizon Medical Education

Key Topics Covered

• Definition and staging of chronic kidney disease
• Causes of CKD (including hypertension, diabetes, HIV, nephrotoxins)
• Clinical presentation and late diagnosis
• Approach to investigation and diagnosis
• Case-based application

References

• International Society of Nephrology – Global Kidney Health Atlas
• Global Burden of Disease Study
• KDIGO CKD Guidelines

Download the notes and complete the CPD quiz to receive your certificate of accredited learning at www.horizonmedicaleducation.com

If you found this episode useful, please share it with your colleagues.

Support our work : https://buymeacoffee.com/horizonmedicaleducation

Thank you