In this podcast the Dr Dirk Pilat chats with RCGP’s Honorary Secretary Dr Jonathan Leach about staying well in these stressful times. Topics include workload overload, how to relax after work and how to look after our colleagues.

An educational grant was received by CHSA (COVID-19 Healthcare Support Appeal) for the production of this podcast. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Reviewed: February 2024

In this podcast, we talk to Dr Kevin Barrett, a GP in Hertfordshire and Chair of the Primary Care Society of Gastroenterology. about autoimmune hepatobiliary disease. The discussion focuses on primary biliary cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis, including when to consider them as diagnoses and what the next steps should be for a GP. Risk from COVID-19 is also touched on, along with how we can support remote monitoring in primary care, when this is needed.

Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Reviewed: December 2023

Eczema is a common, chronic, relapsing inflammatory skin condition which mainly occurs in childhood but can persist into or start in adulthood.

In this EKU2020.2 Dr Dirk Pilat, a GP and RCGP Medical Director for eLearning discusses atopic eczema, dermatitis and emollients for eczema in children with Dr Matthew Ridd, a GP and Reader in Primary Healthcare at the Centre for Academic Primary Care at the University of Bristol. Dr Ridd's research interests include skin and allergy problems diagnosed and managed in primary care, mainly focusing on childhood eczema.

In this RCGP podcast on peanut allergy Dr Toni Hazell talks to Dr Helen Brough, Consultant in paediatric allergy at the Evelina children’s hospital. They discuss the prevalence of peanut allergy and how to deal with a patient who presents with a possible allergy, including the question of whether to give an adrenaline auto-injector while they are waiting to see a consultant. They also cover the LEAP study, the results of which have allowed paediatricians to confidently recommend that the early introduction of peanut into the diet from 4-11 months of age can prevent the development of peanut allergy in at-risk children (severe eczema or egg allergy). Dr Brough discusses how this can be implemented in primary care.

Reviewed and updated: November 2023

While we are experiencing a second wave of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, preparations have begun to protect our patients from seasonal influenza. In this podcast Dr George Kassianos CBE - the National Immunisation Lead for the RCGP - addresses co-infection, immunosenescence, symptoms of COVID-19 vs flu and the experience of the Southern Hemisphere over the last few months. Dr Kassianos is being interviewed by Dr Dirk Pilat, the RCGP’s director for eLearning. 

The podcast was funded by an educational grant from Seqirus to cover education on influenza and the role of vaccines as a prevention. Seqirus has not had any input in the content or been part of any reviews thereof. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP. 

The prevalence of diverticular disease is up 65% by 85 years of age. In this EKU2020.2 podcast we explore the diagnosis and management of diverticular disease with Dr Patricia Mcnair, an interface geriatrician with an interest in gastroenterology who currently works in palliative care in Farnham.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common medical condition which is usually managed in primary care. In this podcast we interview Dr Kevin Barrett, chair of the Primary Care Society for Gastroenterology and discuss the diagnosis and management of IBS. The discussion will include when to suspect IBS, what tests need to be done routinely, management in primary care, how to explain a diagnosis of IBS to a patient and when to consider referral to secondary care.

Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Reviewed and updated: November 2023

Patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis benefit significantly from swift assessment by secondary care. If disease modifying drugs are started soon after presentation, the likelihood of full remission is greatly improved. This has always been challenging within the resource limitations of the NHS and waiting lists are now higher than ever as we try to catch up from the pandemic. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell speaks to Dr Danny Murphy about the basics of making a diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis, when to refer and what investigations to carry out before referral as well as talking about the role of the GP in the care of a patient with diagnosed inflammatory arthritis. Dr Murphy also discusses how your management might change if you know that your patient is going to wait longer than is ideal, and when you might want to communicate directly with your local rheumatologist.

Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Reviewed and updated: November 2023

In this podcast Dr Tom Kneale, a GP and Faculty Educator from North Wales and Dr Jessica Watson, a GP from Bristol and a NIHR Research Fellow at the University of Bristol talk to Dr Barbara Noble about how we can distinguish between flu and COVID-19. Drawing on his clinical experience, Tom talks about the common symptoms of COVID-19, which can help differentiate it from flu as well as some of the more unusual presentations of COVID he has seen in his practice. Jess talks about the importance of testing and also its limitations and Tom highlights the at-risk groups to develop complications of COVID and the red flags we should look for in patients with COVID-19 and flu.

The podcast was funded through an educational grant from Seqirus to cover education on influenza and the role of vaccines as a prevention. Seqirus has had no input in the content or been part of any reviews thereof. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Thrombocytosis is associated with a higher risk of solid tumour malignancy.

In this EKU2020.1 podcast we discuss with Professor Willie Hamilton, GP and Professor of Primary Care Diagnostics at the University of Exeter, the causes, investigations, differential diagnosis and referral of thrombocytosis.