RCGP eLearning Podcast

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in the UK, with over 40,000 new cases each year. The positive predictive value of Faecal immunochemical testing (FIT) far exceeds that of symptoms and makes FIT an important tool for triaging patients with symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer to the right diagnostic pathway. In this podcast Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Dr Kevin Barrett, a GP in Hertfordshire with a special interest in gastroenterology, about faecal immunochemical testing in patients with signs or symptoms of suspected colorectal cancer (CRC). This podcast falls within the Gastroenterology curriculum field.

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In this podcast, RCGP Clinical Champion for veterans' healthcare Dr Emily Brookes talks with Beth Lambert, National Service Lead for Op RESTORE, and Mr Shehan Hettiaratchy, National Clinical Director for Op RESTORE, about their specialist service designed to improve physical healthcare for Armed Forces veterans.

Become a veteran friendly accredited GP practice rcgp.org.uk/veterans

Services mentioned in the podcast:
Blesma - charity that supports limbless veterans
Blind Veterans UK - charity that supports vision-impaired ex-Servicemen and women to rebuild their lives after sight loss
Op RESTORE - the NHS Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service (formerly the Veterans Trauma Network)

Depression is both under-recognised and under-treated. Only 60% of people with symptoms of depression consult a GP and of these only 60% are diagnosed. It causes significant morbidity and mortality. Mental health problems are the cause of 10% of all certified sickness episodes and depression leads to more than 3,000 deaths by suicide each year in the UK.  In this podcast Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham, a Professor of General Practice Research at Keele University and a GP in Manchester, about the treatment and management of depression in adults. This podcast falls within the Mental Health curriculum field.

RCGP Podcast Feedback
Your feedback plays a crucial role in helping us improve the CPD products and services we offer. We would be grateful if you could please complete our short RCGP Podcast Survey, which will take no more than 5 minutes to complete.

In the second podcast in this series, Dr Emma Ryan discussed how a GP might notice that a patient is experiencing gambling harms, and what they could do about it. The podcast covers the four tiers of treatment, from local voluntary services up to residential care, as well as the rating scales which are used in both primary and secondary care, and the issues to consider if a patient who is being treated for gambling disorder suffers a relapse. The podcast goes on to talk about how practices could develop their knowledge in this area, if it was something that they wanted to learn more about, and what services they could offer, including how to obtain RCGP accreditation.

Production, editorial, and distribution owned by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

In this podcast, Dr Emma Ryan introduces the concept of gambling related harms, starting with background information on gambling in the UK and how it affects adults and children. She goes on to discuss the definition of gambling disorder, which populations are at particularly high risk, and the recent gambling white paper. The second podcast in this series will deal with the issue in more detail, giving practical information about how a GP can spot a patient who is affected by gambling, and what to do about it.

Production, editorial, and distribution owned by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

In this podcast, Dr. Anne Connolly discussed endometrial and cervical cancers, with a focus on early diagnosis. The podcast covers the different risk factors for the two cancers and how knowledge of these risk factors can help with diagnosis and prevention. As part of this the cervical screening programme is discussed, including the recent change to primary HPV screening and the possibility of a future in which the first test is a self-taken HPV swab. The symptoms that should raise concern about endometrial cancer are discussed, as well as the referral pathways and what to do when you are concerned about someone but they don’t exactly meet referral criteria.

Reviewed and updated: October 2026

In this podcast, Dr Emma Nash talks to Professor Tony Avery, GP, Professor of Primary Health Care at the University of Nottingham, and National Clinical Director for Prescribing. Key points from the two prescribing safety modules are touched on, in the context of the Medicines Safety Improvement Programme (MedSIP) and there is discussion of how medication safety has progressed over the years. Current priorities, national drivers for change, optimising safer systems and safer use of high-risk medicines, are described as well as potential developments on the horizon.

Financial support for this programme was provided from Pfizer Limited. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Reviewed: August 2026