Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead, or a cuppa and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom.  In the second of two episodes this month, Fiona and Nik discuss: 

• Spinal cord compression and cauda equina syndrome. They’re on our (long!) list of things we never want to miss. They’re uncommon presentations, but they cause us a lot of anxiety. We can help…
• The new NICE guidance on menopause, published in December 2024. Much stayed the same, but we focus on the bits that may change our practice…

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

And hear a best intentions story that will have you checking your phone and your headphones before launching into your next consultation!

Spinal cord compression and cauda equina syndrome

 Red flags to screen for malignancy and fracture in patients with low back pain: systematic review

BMJ 2013;347:f7095

GRIFT 2023 cauda equina

national suspected cauda equina pathway

Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists – cauda equina information cards (cards in 29 different languages)

NICE guideline on menopause 2024: practice-changing points

NICE NG23

BMS statement in response to the publication of the updated NICE Menopause guideline (NG23)

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Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

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Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead, or a cuppa and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom.  In the first of two episodes this month, Fiona and Nik discuss: 

• Acute cough and pneumonia in adults. Who needs face-to-face assessment? Who needs antibiotics?
• ‘I got this new gadget’… we consider technology to support health and wellbeing. 

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

The rest of the Pearls from January will be covered next week along with a new best intentions story to put a smile on your face.

Acute cough and pneumonia in adults

The Independent: ‘What is a quad-demic?’ 12.12.2024

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/nhs-england-flu-symptoms-tedros-adhanom-ghebreyesus-b2663301.html

Triaging adults with respiratory tract infections (NICE 2023, NG237)

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng237

Cough (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NICE 2019, NG120)

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng120

Pneumonia in adults (NICE 2023, CG191)

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg191

Technology to support health and wellbeing

Timeline of major milestones in the development of wearable sensors and a summary of their building blocks

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41578-022-00460-x/figures/1

Effectiveness of physical activity monitors in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ 2022;376:e068047

https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj-2021-068047

Pedometers can help people get more active as part of an exercise programme.  

BMJ 2020;369:m877

https://www.bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m877

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead, or a cuppa and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom.  In the second of two episodes this month, Ali and Nik discuss: 

• Wintering, time to restore ourselves. We share an article from our lifestyle medicine course, offering a roadmap to wellbeing that we can use to support ourselves, family members and patients as we embark on 2025. 

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

And hear a best intentions story that will have you double checking the address before going on a home visit!

Roadmap to wellbeing: microskills for positive change

Clinican wellbeing articles on Red Whale Knowledge:

Burnout in health professionals

Mental health in health professionals

Moral distress and moral injury

Strengths and vulnerabilities in clinicians

Practitioner health

Department of Health 2014, The relationship between wellbeing and health

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead, or a cuppa and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom.  In the first of two episodes this month, Ali and Nik discuss: 

• 3% of adults presenting to primary care with an acute cough have pertussis, but would you spot it?
• What is our role in primary care if a patient approaches us for advice about antibiotic prophylaxis for STIs?

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

The rest of the Pearls from December will be covered next week along with a new best intentions story to put a smile on your face.

Pertussis
BMJ 2019;364:l401 

UKHSA Guidance on the management of cases of pertussis in England during the re-emergence of pertussis in 2024 

Whooping Cough Net - symptoms (examples of full-blown whooping cough and attenuated forms in immunised individuals. Also information for patients about why treatment is ineffective. Site by Doug Jenkinson, a GP in ( Nottinghamshire) 

Testing guidelines from the UKHSA can be found here. 

The Green Book on Pertussis

Prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections 

BASHH Position statement on Doxycycline as Prophylaxis for Sexually Transmitted Infections 2021 

The IPERGAY trial (Lancet Inf Diseases 2018;18(3):308) 

CDC guidance 1

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead, your jingle bells, or a cuppa and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. In the second of two episodes this month, Fiona and Nik discuss: 

• Diagnosing diabetes: do you know MODY from LADA?
• PSA testing in asymptomatic men. Why don’t we have a national screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK?

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

And hear a best intentions story that will have you patting your seat before you sit down!


Links:

Sign up for GP trainee essentials

'Chris Hoy and cancer screening: is celebrity campaigning a bad way to make policy?' Margaret McCartney. BMJ 2024;387:q2604

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead, your jingle bells, or a cuppa and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. In the first of two episodes this month, Fiona and Nik discuss: 

• Chronic urticaria. How confident are you in spotting and managing it?
• Preparing for the worst…we consider the important issue of bleeding and haemorrhage in advanced cancer.  

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

The rest of the Pearls from November will be covered next week along with a new best intentions story to put a smile on your face.

Links

Sign up for GP trainee essentials

Scottish Palliative Care Guidelines - bleeding

Festive i-CPD

What we can learn from watching the film 'Last Christmas' ? - Boggled Docs episode

What we can learn from watching 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' ?- Boggled Docs episode

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead or a pumpkin spice latte and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom.  October was another bumper month of information, meaning that we can’t possibly squeeze it all into one handy sized episode, so in the second of two episodes this month, Ali and Nik discuss:  

• Mpox- what do we need to know after the WHO declared Mpox a ‘public health emergency of international concern’ ?
• Ovarian cancer: genetic risk. Did you know that reducing the risk of ovarian cancer death with risk-reduction surgery is an alternative for some at higher genetic risk of the disease, and is now recommended by NICE?
• Gut microbiome: cutting through the noise. We unpack the growing understanding of the importance of the gut microbiome, why it matters and future practical applications…

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

And hear a best intentions story where you will feel for everyone involved!

Links:

Sign up for GP trainee essentials

Latest update on cases of Clade Ib mpox

The NHS Jewish BRCA Testing Programme

Target Ovarian Cancer

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead or a pumpkin spice latte and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom.  October was another bumper month of information, meaning that we can’t possibly squeeze it all into one handy sized episode, so in the first of two episodes this month, Ali and Nik discuss: 

• HRT, bleeding and endometrial cancer... Have you had more phone calls and e-consults? Recent media coverage has made this a topic that we all need to know about.
• Big changes in the UK vaccination schedules. We help you to update and refresh your knowledge in this fast-changing area. 

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

The rest of the Pearls from October will be covered next week along with a new best intentions story to put a smile on your face.

Links:

Sign up for GP trainee essentials

BMS – management of unscheduled bleeding on hormone replacement therapy

Effective Approaches to Combat Vaccine Hesitancy 

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead or a cuppa and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom.  September was another bumper month of information, meaning that we can’t possibly squeeze it all into one handy sized episode, so in the second of two episodes this month, Ali and Nik discuss: 

• Nephrotic syndrome in children: would you spot it? 
• Broken heart? Think Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

And hear a best intentions story where a urine dip rang alarm bells for the wrong reason!

Links:

Sign up for GP trainee essentials

NHS – nephrotic syndrome in children

NHS Scotland - immunisation guideline for children with chronic kidney disease 

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.

Send us a text

Grab your trainers, your dog lead or a pumpkin spice latte and join us for some free CPD as we have another relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom.  September was another bumper month of information, meaning that we can’t possibly squeeze it all into one handy sized episode, so in the first of two episodes this month, Ali and Nik discuss: 

• How to approach alopecia consultations. Having a framework for conditions that patients have to pluck up courage to ask about can be really helpful…
•  Workplace-based assessment (WPBA) demystified. We’re here to support the next generation of GP trainees, along with their supervisors. 

Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources. 

The rest of the Pearls from September will be covered next week along with a new best intentions story to put a smile on your face.

Alopecia UK

British Association of Dermatologists - alopecia areata

British Association of Dermatologists - female pattern hair loss

British Association of Dermatologists - male pattern hair loss


The official MRCGP website which can be found here

CEPS 

Send us your feedback [email protected] or send a voice message

Sign up to receive Pearls here. Pearls are available for 3 months from publish date. After this, you can get access them plus 100s more articles when you buy a one-day online course from Red Whale OR sign up to Red Whale Unlimited. Find out more here.

Follow us: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

Disclaimer: We make every effort to ensure the information in this podcast is accurate and correct at the date of publication, but it is of necessity of a brief and general nature, and this should not replace your own good clinical judgement, or be regarded as a substitute for taking professional advice in appropriate circumstances. In particular, check drug doses, side-effects and interactions with the British National Formulary. Save insofar as any such liability cannot be excluded at law, we do not accept any liability for loss of any type caused by reliance on the information in this podcast.