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. 

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.

We have come a long way from the start of the pandemic, when those well enough to avoid admission could not even access a COVID-19 test, let alone any specific therapeutics. Those in the highest-risk groups for severe consequences of COVID-19 can now access an antiviral or neutralising monoclonal antibody in the community. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell and Professor Simon de Lusignan outline the various drugs available, which are recommended by NICE, who is eligible for them and the practicalities of ensuring that your patients have access to these medications in a timely manner. 

They also discuss the PANORAMIC trial and which patients might want to take part in that, as well as the broader issues around testing for viruses in primary care.

As of June 2023, national commissioning of Covid Medicines Delivery Units (CMDU) in England has ended. These services will now be commissioned locally by ICBs and patients will not be contacted if they are high risk and have a positive COVID-19 test. Depending on local arrangements, patients might access COVID-19 therapeutics via 111, via the GP, via their hospital consultant, or by emailing/phoning their local CMDU directly. Further information is here https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2023/06/PRN00532-access-to-covid-treatments-letter-190623.pdf. 

Diagnosing cancer in primary care is difficult. Many patients present with non-specific symptoms and the positive predictive value of even the ‘red flag’ symptoms is low. In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round and Professor Willie Hamilton discuss the issues around cancer diagnosis in primary care, including the positive predictive value of symptoms, the increasing number of two-week wait referrals and the usefulness of tests such as Ca125. 

Financial support for the project was provided as an Independent Medical Education Grant from Pfizer Limited. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

In this podcast, Dr Emma Nash talks to Professor Derek Connolly about cardiovascular disease and lipid management. Measuring and interpreting lipid profiles and when to initiate treatment are discussed. Professor Connolly takes us through the various treatment options and their respective benefits, in light of the updated lipid pathway, and illustrates the benefits that they can have on cardiovascular risk, both in terms of primary and secondary prevention.

Dr Emma Nash DOI: https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/bio/teacher.php?id=4205

Prof Derek Connolly DOI: https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/bio/teacher.php?id=168787

To learn more about Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD) please access the newly designed RCGP Inflammatory Bowel Disease Toolkit, which allows users to learn about IBD through different formats including three bite-sized NUBs - New Useful Bits, a 30 minute module and a recorded podcast. The toolkit provides tips to help those working in Primary Care suspect, investigate, and refer patients for appropriate investigations. It also summarises key information to consider when supporting patients living with IBD.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a lifelong condition which can impact on many areas of a person’s life. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell and Dr Kevin Barrett discuss how we can diagnose inflammatory bowel disease at an earlier stage and make logical use of the tests available to us. They then go on to discuss the management of flares of the disease and holistic care for patients with IBD, at all stages of life. 

This podcast was funded by Crohn's & Colitis UK. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP eLearning.

In this podcast we talk to Dr David Kernick about migraine treatments and the availability of newer medications to help manage uncontrolled symptoms. Both preventative and therapeutic options are explored, in conjunction with discussion about the roles of primary and secondary care. 

In this podcast we talk to Dr David Kernick about the relationship between women's health and migraine. The effect of hormones and changes to the pattern of migraines throughout life are explored, and the relevance of migraines in the prescription of contraception and hormone replacement therapy is also discussed.

In this podcast, Dr Nicholas Jones, GP cardiologist, academic GP and Wellcome Trust Doctoral Research Fellow, discusses heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Left ventricular function in HFpEF is normal, or near normal - that is, 50% or greater - but with symptoms that we recognise as being of heart failure. He talks about recognising and diagnosing the syndrome, along with potential treatment options and emerging evidence on effective therapies for symptoms control and prognostic benefit.