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 w...
Mar 29, 2023•20 min
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 wer...
Mar 06, 2023•21 min
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.
Feb 27, 2023•13 min
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.
Feb 27, 2023•17 min
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 prognos...
Feb 20, 2023•17 min
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.
Feb 07, 2023•21 min
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.
Jan 03, 2023•20 min
Practices are well into the flu vaccination season by now, but how often do we actually stop and think about what is in the vaccinations that we give, and how we know when flu is circulating? Dr Toni Hazell talks to Professor Simon de Lusignan of the RCGP Research and Surveillance Centre (RSC). They discuss the strains of flu that are in the vaccine, our expectations for uptake this year and why we have moved to a quadrivalent vaccine. Simon also talks about the work of the RSC, who are always l...
Dec 07, 2022•19 min
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 ...
Oct 31, 2022•34 min
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-Sulli...
Oct 04, 2022•19 min
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
Sep 21, 2022•18 min
There continues to be questions raised around flu vaccination during pandemic times, including eligibility and whether multiple vaccinations can be given at the same time. In this podcast, Dr Dirk Pilat talks to Dr George Kassianos about the latest guidance for the 2022/2023 flu season. They cover eligibility for different age groups, vaccine hesitancy and the guidance around co-administration. CSL Seqirus has funded these podcasts and has been involved in discussion for the topic of this podcas...
Sep 20, 2022•24 min
The 2022/23 flu season is fast approaching, bringing with it all the usual questions about who gets which vaccine and how to best organise a vaccination programme. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell talks to Dr. Sally Higginbottom, author of our eLearning module on influenza. Sally will delve into some of the practicalities of running a successful vaccination programme including which vaccine for which patient, what to do if patients are concerned about egg allergy or have religious concerns and wh...
Aug 23, 2022•9 min
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. Rev...
Aug 08, 2022•17 min
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 hypno...
Jul 06, 2022•19 min
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 b...
Jun 08, 2022•16 min
Primary care clinicians need a clear and structured approach to the diagnosis and treatment of people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD). This can help clinicians to identify the small proportion of people who need urgent investigation or long-term surveillance, whilst offering holistic treatment aimed at symptom improvement for the larger population with symptomatic but benign GORD. In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round, a GP and EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Dr Kevin Barrett, a GP and member...
May 06, 2022•23 min
In medicine we talk about the upper and lower airway, but in fact these two tracts are continuous with each other, lined with the same epithelium and affected by the same disease processes. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell and Professor David Price discuss how this knowledge affects the management of asthma and allergic rhinitis. Patients with asthma are more likely to have allergic rhinitis than the general population, and vice versa. By proactively asking about symptoms of allergic rhinitis in ...
May 03, 2022•11 min
Lung cancer is common and the cause of a fifth of all cancer deaths. Early detection in primary care is key in improving survival rates by enabling curative treatment. In this podcast, Dr Sally Higginbottom and Dr Steve Holmes discuss the role of imaging and screening for lung cancer. This episode was updated in October 2022, to reflect recent guidance. An educational grant was received by AstraZeneca for the production of this podcast. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCG...
Feb 28, 2022•19 min
Eczema is often seen as purely a skin disease, but it is associated with other allergic conditions and can cause significant stress for patients and their families. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell and Dr Angelika Razzaque discuss the links between eczema and other allergic illnesses, the management of hand eczema, psychological stress due to eczema and how to manage children with disturbed sleep due to eczema. An educational grant was received by Sanofi for the production of this podcast. Editor...
Feb 23, 2022•17 min
GPs and other NHS clinicians are often pressed for time, but there is a lot to talk about in the first consultation for a patient with eczema. In this podcast Dr Toni Hazell talks to Dr Angelika Razzaque about what should ideally be covered, whether in one appointment or split over more than one. This includes how to break the news of a chronic condition, whilst still giving some hope for effective management, how to manage steroid phobia and how to safely deal with a patient who wishes to use a...
Feb 23, 2022•16 min
In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell discusses the diagnosis and management of heart failure with Ahmet Fuat, honorary professor of primary care cardiology at Durham University, and Sarah Worsnop who shares her experiences of being diagnosed with heart failure at an early age. They cover the importance of the use of NT-proBNP test in patients with symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath, and of keeping an open mind if a patient presents at a younger age than would usually be associated with ...
Feb 22, 2022•26 min
Every year approximately 2% of adults seek medical attention for moderate to severe dizziness. In this podcast, Dr Thomas Round, EKU Clinical Lead, talks to Dr Devina Maru, a GP Speciality Registrar in Greenwich with a special interest in ENT and audiology and RCGP National Clinical Champion for hearing loss, about sudden onset dizziness and vertigo. Their discussion includes the definition of dizziness and its associated symptoms, how common it is, causes of dizziness and vertigo, testing (such...
Jan 20, 2022•21 min
There are many urban myths which circulate in the world of allergy. In this podcast, Dr Toni Hazell and Professor Adam Fox attempt to put the record straight regarding some of them. We will cover vaccination and egg allergy, progression of allergic reactions, the use of adrenaline auto-injectors and allergy tests which are available to buy online. Reviewed and updated: June 2024 Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.
Nov 08, 2021•20 min
In the UK over 3 million people are estimated to have osteoporosis and there are estimated to be over 500,000 fragility fractures that occur in the UK each year. In this podcast Dr Thomas Round, EKU Clinical Lead talks to Dr David Stephens, a locum and OOH GP in Scotland, and a member of the SIGN Guideline Development Group, concerning osteoporosis and the prevention of fragility fractures including the challenges faced by GPs, changes in the latest guidelines, the importance of diagnosis, the u...
Oct 18, 2021•22 min
Approximately 4 million people in the UK have an autoimmune disease, many of whom have been affected by COVID-19, by either contracting the disease itself or negotiating the rapidly changing rules regarding shielding. In this podcast Dr Sam Robinson talks to Dr Kevin Barrett about the interaction between COVID-19 and autoimmune diseases, the concerns these patients may have regarding COVID vaccination, and whether there could be any positive outcomes from the COVID-19 pandemic. Editorial and con...
Oct 06, 2021•22 min
Further listening : RCGP podcast: Perspectives on... black women in health RCGP podcast: Perspectives on... being a South Asian GP Reviewed : April 2025
Sep 08, 2021•14 min
Coeliac disease affects 1% of the population, however it remains under diagnosed. In a disease which is mainly managed by diet, why do we need to investigate and make a formal diagnosis? In this podcast Dr Sam Robinson talks to Professor David Sanders, Professor of Gastroenterology at the University of Sheffield and a consultant at The Royal Hallamshire Hospital, about why a diagnosis is important, which non-gastroenterological symptoms patients may present with, and what the future of coeliac d...
Sep 06, 2021•25 min
Alzheimer’s disease is the commonest cause of dementia. In this podcast, GP Sally Higginbottom interviews Dr Clare Wadlow, Consultant in old age psychiatry on practical tips in assessing and managing patients with Alzheimer’s disease.
Aug 19, 2021•30 min
In this RCGP podcast, Dr James Matheson, RCGP Chair of the Health Inequalities Standing Group talks to Christiana Melam, CEO of the National Association of Link Workers about how those in primary care can best work with Social Prescribing Link Workers. They discuss the what a Social Prescribing Link Worker is, their role in addressing health inequalities, specialist roles evolving from Link Workers working with particular groups of people e.g. vulnerable patients, the challenges facing individua...
Jul 29, 2021•19 min
