RCGP eLearning Podcast

Respiratory disease, including infections, affects one in five people in England and is the third biggest cause of death, with around 68,000 annual deaths.In this podcast Dr Thomas Round talks to Professor Paul Little, a GP and Professor of Primary Care Research at the University of Southampton about respiratory tract infections. They provide a discussion on the common presentations to primary care including symptoms and their duration, natural history, assessment (triage), red flags, treatment including best practice for the use of antibiotics (NNT and NNH, TARGET toolkit), point of care testing (CRP), the use of nasal sprays, encouraging at risk groups to receive vaccinations, continuation of hand washing, and the impact of stress on illness. They also offer top tips for everyday practice.Further reading: RCGP Essential Knowledge Update Hot Topic: Nasal sprays and behavioural interventions compared with usual care for acute respiratory illness in primary care RCGP TARGET antibiotics toolkit hub Little P, Vennik J, Rumsby K, et al. Nasal sprays and behavioural interventions compared with usual care for acute respiratory illness in primary care: a randomised, controlled, open-label, parallel-group trial. Lancet Respir Med. 2024 Aug;12(8):619-632. Little P, Stuart B, Andreou P, et al. Primary care randomised controlled trial of a tailored interactive website for the self-management of respiratory infections (Internet Doctor). BMJ Open. 2016 Apr 20;6(4): e009769. RCGP Podcast FeedbackYour 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.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects approximately 1 in 20 people in the UK, equating to around 3.2 million individuals, though some estimates suggest up to 1 in 5 adults experience symptoms, with potentially even more not seeking medical help. It's a common digestive disorder, more prevalent in women, often starting in the 20s or 30s.In this podcast Dr Thomas Round speaks to Dr Kevin Barrett, a GP in Hertfordshire with a special interest in gastroenterology in primary care, about the prevalence, symptoms, diagnostic criteria, treatment and management of IBS and offers top tips for primary care practice!For more information please see: RCGP eLearning course on Inflammatory Bowel Disease RCGP eLearning course on Holistic care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease RCGP eLearning course on the Diagnosis and management of coeliac disease and its immunological comorbidities RCGP Essential Knowledge Update module on the Management of irritable bowel syndrome RCGP Essential Knowledge Update module on the Management of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease 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.

Primary care consultations can be challenging for a number of reasons. In this podcast, Dr. Ed Pooley discusses the key skill of relationship building within general practice and how this can be achieved with a variety of consultation techniques. He addresses issues of raised emotions within consultations, how to recover a consultation which is going badly, and the key skill of housekeeping as it refers to GP consultations. The podcast also discusses how consultation skills might change over the course of a career and the importance of recognising issues which can or can’t be resolved within general practice. RCGP Podcast FeedbackYour 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.

Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, is estimated to affect 1 in 5 children and 1 in 10 adults in the UK, making it one of the most prevalent skin conditions experienced across all age groups. It is the leading cause of skin-related disability in the UK and there has been an increased prevalence of eczema in the last 10 years.In this podcast Dr Thomas Round talks to Dr Khyati Bakhai, a GP in North East London about eczema. They discuss the definition of eczema, as well as the presentation, symptoms, risk factors including family history and other allergies, discussions during consultation, treatments such as emollients, protopics and steroid creams, assessing for infection, referral to secondary care when needed, management of flare ups and shared decision making with patients for ongoing management.For more information please see: RCGP eLearning course on Atopic Eczema RCGP eLearning Hub on Atopic Dermatitis RCGP Essential Knowledge Update module on Atopic eczema in under 12s & Venous eczema and chronic venous disease RCGP podcast on Dermatology Podcast: Skin of Colour 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 2020 the NHS became the world’s first health system to commit to reaching Net Zero and take action to reduce the future impacts of climate change. Take a walk through London to the Story Garden with Dr Toni Hazell, Deputy Medical Director for eLearning and Dr Liliana Risi, provost and past chair of the RCGP North East London Faculty, a past NHS GP in Tower Hamlets and Associate of Greener Practice to learn more about the topic of Net Zero. In this podcast we discuss climate health equity, the environmental benefits of social prescribing and preventing illness plant-based diet, all of which are covered within our three recently released eLearning courses, as well as Greener Practice, Singing for breathing and Clean air champions.RCGP Net Zero HubRCGP eLearning modules on: Climate health equity The environmental benefits of social prescribing Preventing illness: plant-based diet The Story GardenCorrection: Green social prescribing can save the NHS more than £600 million per year and cite.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), also known as Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is estimated to affect up to 1 in 5 people in the UK. Rates are increasing with rising levels of obesity. Although most cases of MASLD are linked to excess weight, you can develop the disease if you have a healthy weight.In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round talks to Dr Helen Jarvis, a GP and Clinical lecturer and researcher at Newcastle University with an interest in liver disease about fatty liver disease in primary care. RCGP. EKU Module on Diagnosis and management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. May 2024. RCGP. Liver Toolkit. June 2025 BSG. BSG Guidelines on the management of abnormal liver blood tests. December 2021. NICE. NG49. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): assessment and management. July 2016 (last reviewed October 2024).

In this podcast, Dr. Liz Angier discusses the GPwER role in allergy and how this would ideally be integrated into the local allergy team, improving service provision for patients. The podcast covers theory training as well as how to gain practical experience, including the ways in which the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology can help to link potential GPwERs with clinical experience. The podcast also covers some wider issues including the need for education in schools and in the food industry. Those who would like to know more about the GPwER role should visit the GPwER page of the RCGP website and click on the allergy framework, or email [email protected] educational grant was received from British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (BSACI) for the production of the podcast. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Adenomyosis affects around 10% of women in the UK and is most prevalent in women aged 40-50, particularly those who have had pregnancies. It is frequently found alongside endometriosis and uterine fibroids and can cause heavy, painful, or irregular periods.In this podcast Dr Thomas Round talks to Dr Sharon Dixon, a GP in Oxford with a background in endometriosis research and supporting GPs with female patients suffering with endometriosis and their periods, about the symptoms, initial assessment, diagnosis and treatment of adenomyosis as well as its possible causes and overlap with endometriosis.This podcast falls within the Gynaecology and Breast curriculum field. British Journal of General Practice article on Uterine adenomyosis: an update for GPs RCGP EKU Programme module on Endometriosis: diagnosis and management RCGP eLearning course on Endometriosis RCGP eLearning course on Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

In this 20 minute podcast, Dr Emma Nash speaks to Dr Sally Higginbottom about adverse effects of antipsychotic medication, with a focus on movement disorders and strategies to detect them early in routine practice. Funding for this podcast was received from Teva Pharmaceuticals. Teva Pharmaceuticals reviewed the content for scientific accuracy and full editorial control remains the sole responsibility of the RCGP.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading global cause of death, with an estimated 18 million deaths each year (over 30% of all global deaths). In 2022, around 175,000 people in the UK died from CVD, accounting for about 27% of all deaths — the second most common cause of death after dementia and Alzheimer's disease.In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round talks to Dr Nicholas Jones, a salaried GP in Oxford with a special interest in cardiology, about primary risk assessment and lipid management in cardiovascular disease.This podcast falls within the Cardiovascular Health curriculum field. EKU Programme module on Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment, reduction & lipid modification.British Journal of General Practice article on Cardiovascular disease — risk assessment and reduction: NICE 2023 update for GPs.

People living with severe mental illness face one of the greatest health equality gaps in England. Their life expectancy is 15–20 years shorter than that for the general population, and this disparity is largely due to preventable physical illnesses.In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round discusses physical health in people with severe mental illness with Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham, a Professor of General Practice Research at Keele University and a GP in Manchester and Dr David Shiers, Honorary Research Consultant at Psychosis Research Unit and a former GP in North Staffordshire, who became involved in the early intervention reform after his daughter’s experience of a severe psychotic illness. This podcast falls within the Mental Health curriculum field.

In this podcast Dr. Julie Oliver, chair of the Primary Care Women’s Health Society is interviewed about endometriosis. Starting with the basics of definition and symptoms, the podcast then goes on to discuss more nuanced aspects of care, including decisions about whether to refer or manage empirically, and how to support a patient in primary care while she is on a potentially long list for consultant review. The podcast takes a life course approach, ending with a discussion about management of the menopause in women who have had endometriosis, and the need to remember that symptoms may persist even after apparently definitive surgical treatment. An educational grant was received from Scottish Government for the production of this podcast. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) are a class of drugs initially developed to treat type 2 diabetes and are now becoming more widely used for obesity. They work by mimicking the actions of the GLP-1 hormone, which is released by the gut after eating. GPs will be used to prescribing them for type 2 diabetes, but less so for obesity. In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round discusses the evolving role of GLP1-RA in obesity, the benefits and potential side effects, the role of the GP, and the latest NICE guidance in this area with Dr Stephanie DiGiorgio, an urgent care GP with a specialist interest in obesity. This podcast falls within the Metabolic Problems and Endocrinology curriculum field.

This podcast is part of a Veterans' Health eLearning course, which aims to educate GPs and primary care teams as to why veterans are a special group. In this podcast, Dr Emily Brookes talks to Jon Lynn, a military veteran, about how a veteran patient may present differently in their health-seeking behaviours and how identifying whether a patient is a veteran can enable healthcare professionals to provide good healthcare to this patient group. The Royal College of General Practitioners has developed the Veteran Friendly GP Accreditation Programme. This programme will improve the healthcare of veterans and their families, by giving a better understanding of the special needs of this population and resources available to help. Thousands of NHS England Practices are now successfully accredited, with numbers of accredited practices rapidly growing. You can find out more about accreditation for your practice here: www.rcgp.org.uk/veteransFunding for the production of this course was provided by NHS England as part of the RCGP Veteran Friendly Accreditation Programme. Editorial and content decisions were by the RCGP and NHS England.

In this podcast, Dr Emma Nash speaks to Dr Jim Moore, a GP with a special interest in cardiovascular medicine and past president of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society, about chronic kidney disease. The approach to diagnosis and categorisation is discussed, along with when further investigations or referral may need to be considered. Recognising that the majority of CKD is managed in primary care, Jim explains the key areas to target in terms of optimising outcome and reducing complications, along with how to talk about CKD with patients. He also gives an overview of the most important medications in CKD management, and the key things that GPs need to know about them.Production, editorial, and distribution owned by the Royal College of General Practitioners.

In this podcast, Dr Emma Nash speaks to Dr Laura Patterson about the complications of shingles. Laura tells us about the most common short and long term complications, and also the serious consequences that we need to be vigilant for. The highest risk groups for complications are described, along with the steps we can take to try to prevent them from occurring. This podcast was initiated and funded by GSK, and the content developed by RCGP. GSK have had no input into the content other than to review for compliance purposes.

Testosterone deficiency in men can often cause erectile dysfunction or loss of libido, and should be considered whenever a man presents with these symptoms. However there are many other symptoms which can be missed. This podcast looks at potential presentations of testosterone deficiency, along with associated conditions, and explores how we might investigate and manage this important problem.An educational grant was received from Besins Healthcare for the production of this podcast. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

Bipolar is one of the UK’s commonest long-term conditions with almost as many people living with bipolar as cancer. 1.3 million people in the UK have bipolar, that is one in fifty people. It takes an average 9.5 years to get a correct diagnosis of bipolar disorder and there is a misdiagnosis an average of 3.5 times. In this podcast Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks with Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham, a GP in Manchester with a research interest in mental health and Professor of General Practice Research at Keele University, about the assessment and management of bipolar disorder.This podcast falls within the Mental Health curriculum field.

In this 15 minute podcast, Dr Michael Mulholland, RCGP Honorary Secretary, talks to Dr Joy Shacklock, GP and RCGP Clinical Policy Representative for Safeguarding, about the new RCGP safeguarding standards. Joy explains the new document and the drivers behind the updates, as well as the supporting resources and how they can be used. In particular, she highlights the new all-age safeguarding toolkit and how to get the best out of it, along with pointers on safeguarding training and updated revalidation requirements. This podcast was produced by RCGP Learning. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

An estimated 10 million people (6 million women, 4 million men) in the UK have osteoarthritis, with an estimated 5.4 million people affected osteoarthritis in the knee and 3.2 million in the hip. An estimated 350,000 people are diagnosed with osteoarthritis each year with a median age of symptom onset of 55 years.In this podcast Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks with Dr Louise Warburton, a GP with a special interest in musculoskeletal care and rheumatology, Honorary Senior Lecturer at Keele University and Co-president of the Primary Care Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Medicine Society, about osteoarthritis including risk factors, presentation, clinical history, examination, diagnosis and treatment/self management. This podcast falls within the Musculoskeletal Health curriculum field.

Sponsored by Pfizer Limited. Pfizer has had no involvement in the editorial component of this educational material. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is an RNA virus which causes respiratory infections; the most significant clinical effects are in infants and people who are elderly and have chronic medical conditions or immunosuppression. In this podcast, Professor Simon de Lusignan from the RCGP’s Research and Surveillance Centre discusses the new RSV vaccination programme, which offers a one-off vaccine to everyone at the age of 75, with an initial catch-up programme between the ages of 75 and 80. He also touches on monoclonal antibodies and antivirals, which are given in secondary care to children who are at high risk of serious complications if they contract RSV.Reviewed: March 2026

A person’s risk of developing cancer depends on many factors, including age, genetics, and exposure to risk factors (including some potentially avoidable lifestyle factors). In this podcast Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks with Dr Nicola Weaver, a GP and Clinical Cancer Lead in Southwark, Southeast London about familial breast cancer including the recent changes to the NICE guideline.

Both the combined and progestin-only pills are highly effective with perfect use, with a failure rate of less than 1%. However, the failure rate with “typical use” is 9%, which accounts for inconsistent or incorrect use.In this podcast Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Dr Toni Hazell, a GP with an interest in women's health and the RCGP Deputy Medical Director for eLearning about the types of combined oral contraception, risk assessment tools e.g. UKMEC, contraindications, individualising pill taking regimes, missed pill rules and common myths.

In this podcast Dr Emma Nash talks to Dr Pranav Sharma about gender bias in pain. They discuss what gender bias in pain is, and what evidence there is that it exists. Dr Sharma goes on to explain the possible reasons why it came about and what we can do to address it in our own practice.

Aspergillus is a mould which is found in soil, organic matter and sometimes in air conditioning units. Its size means that it can easily be breathed in and can cause respiratory disease, as well as pathology in other body systems including the skin and the eye. This podcast focuses on allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, a condition which is present in 13% of adults and up to 50% of children with severe asthma. The podcast discusses when to suspect aspergillosis and the investigations which might be useful in primary care, as well as outlining an approach to the patient who comes to see you with concerns about mould in their home.

Health inequalities, the differences in health levels and outcomes between individuals and groups of individuals, are an issue of fundamental importance for general practice. For the RCGP's chair, Professor Kamila Hawthorne, tackling health inequalities is an integral part of general practice: because GPs are expert medical generalists at the heart of their community, general practice has a pivotal role to play in combatting the causes of health inequalities and dealing with their effects. In this podcast, Professor Margaret Ikpoh, GP in Hull and vice-chair for professional development and standards discusses the impact of health inequalities on deprived communities with Professor Dom Patterson, GP in Doncaster, chair of the RCGP’s health inequalities group and founder and CEO of Fairhealth. They highlight solutions that can be implemented on individual, practice and ICB level.This podcast was produced by RCGP Learning. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

More than 1 in 4 women aged 16 to 24 years report having self-harmed at some point, compared to around 1 in 10 men of the same age. Research suggests as many as two thirds of people who self-harm will have seen their GP in the month before or after an episode of self-harm. 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 assessment, management and prevention of self-harm.This podcast falls within the Mental Health curriculum field.

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.

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 veteran friendly at rcgp.org.uk/veteransServices 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.

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.An educational grant was received from GambleAware for the production of the podcast. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

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.An educational grant was received from GambleAware for the production of the podcast. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

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.

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=4205Prof Derek Connolly DOI: https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/bio/teacher.php?id=168787An educational grant was received from Amarin UK Limited for the production of this resource. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.

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.Reviewed and updated: February 2026

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

Despite the apparent simplicity in the two options available, the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) and the progestogen-only pill (POP), choosing the right oral contraceptive pill can be challenging. In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Dr Sally Higginbottom, a GP in Camden with a special interest in health inequalities, the rational use of medication and women’s health on prescribing the oral contraceptive pill in primary care.

It's estimated that between one and two in every 100 people in the UK are affected by gout. It mainly affects men over 30 and women after the menopause. In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Dr Louise Warburton, a GP, Clinical Lead for Telford Musculoskeletal Service (TEMS) and Primary Care Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Medicine Society Executive Member about the causes, diagnosis, treatment and management of gout.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a very common problem. In England alone, approximately 835,000 people have AF. This number is rising rapidly, and prevalence is predicted to double by 2050. This reflects the rising prevalence of risk factors, such as hypertension and obesity as well as being a consequence of population ageing. In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Dr Nicholas Jones, a GP and GP cardiologist in Oxford, with an active interest in cardiovascular disease and atrial fibrillation about the diagnosis and management of atrial fibrillation.

Chronic primary pain occurs without a clear underlying condition or when the pain - including associated emotional distress and functional disability - is disproportionate to observable injury or condition. These conditions, including fibromyalgia, chronic primary headache, and chronic primary pelvic pain, affect between 1% and 6% of people in England.1 The underlying pathophysiology is poorly understood. In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Dr Adam Harvey-Sullivan, an Academic trainee GP (who recently co-authored a BJGP paper on Chronic pain), about this topic. For further learning on chronic pain, please access the RCGPs eLearning courses on 'Chronic Pain in Adults' and 'Chronic Pain in Children and Young People' as well as the RCGPs EKU2021.3 module on 'Chronic pain (primary and secondary) in over 16s'.

The menopause marks the permanent end to the reproductive phase of life and happens at an average age of 51. Symptoms can be significant and affect many body systems. In this podcast, Dr Anne Connolly discussed contraception in the perimenopausal years, the management of a woman who has had some relief with HRT but continues to have symptoms of the menopause, and when the use of testosterone might be indicated. Reviewed and updated: April 2025

The National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) was a groundbreaking publication which reviewed 195 UK asthma deaths, adult and child, that took place over one year. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell talks to Dr Shuaib Nasser who contributed to the report. They cover the different phenotypes of asthma, how this is relevant for clinical management, the findings of the NRAD and how we can apply these in practice to make asthma care safer. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.Reviewed and updated: February 2025Your 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 this podcast, Dr Emma Nash talks with consultant paediatric gastroenterologist Peter Gillett to examine common presentations in general practice and paediatric outpatient departments that can be attributed to functional GI disorders. Recognition and diagnosis are considered, along with management, and the important conditions to exclude are touched upon.Here is a list of resources relating to the content of this podcast:Refractory Constipation: What is the Clinician to Do?Gut-focused hypnotherapy for children and adolescents with irritable bowel syndromeDietary and pharmacological treatment of abdominal pain in IBSGuidelines on management of cyclic vomiting syndrome in adults by the American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society and the Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome AssociationManaging cyclic vomiting syndrome in children: beyond the guidelinesPaediatric functional abdominal pain disordersFifteen-minute consultation: Childhood rumination syndromeFunctional abdominal pain in adolescents: case-based managementPractical management of functional abdominal pain in childrenChronic nausea and vomiting: evaluation and treatmentFifteen-minute consultation on the healthy child: Bowel habit in infants and childrenEditorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.Reviewed: May 2025

In this podcast, Professor Pali Hungin and Dr Emma Nash discuss functional gastrointestinal disorders. The podcast explores the nature of functional GI disorders, the evolving understanding of the pathophysiology behind them, and how this knowledge can help GPs manage the conditions. There is a focus on irritable bowel syndrome, including how it may be positively differentiated from other conditions, rather than made as a diagnosis of exclusion.Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.Reviewed: May 2025