RCGP eLearning Podcast

The Royal College of General Practitioners is the professional membership body for family doctors in the UK and overseas. This podcast is produced by the RCGP eLearning and Essential Knowledge Update teams and features discussions with clinical experts about a range of key topics in primary care.

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92 episodes
Updated July 1

Episodes92

Newest first

Oct 3, 2024 · 14 min
Safeguarding: the new standards
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.
Sep 2, 2024 · 20 min
EKU Podcast: Osteoarthritis
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. 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.
Aug 28, 2024 · 10 min
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
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
Aug 1, 2024 · 15 min
EKU Podcast: Familial Breast Cancer
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. This podcast falls within the Gynaecology and breast curriculum field. 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.
Jun 27, 2024 · 22 min
EKU Podcast: Combined Oral Contraception
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. This podcast falls within the Sexual health curriculum field. 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.
Jun 20, 2024 · 19 min
Gender bias in pain
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.
May 14, 2024 · 12 min
Aspergillus Podcast
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.
Apr 18, 2024 · 13 min
Reducing health inequalities in primary care
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.
Apr 4, 2024 · 19 min
EKU Podcast: Self-harm
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. 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.
Feb 6, 2024 · 21 min
EKU Podcast: Faecal immunochemical testing
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. 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.
Oct 2, 2023 · 28 min
68: Physical health needs of Armed Forces veterans
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/veterans Services 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)
Sep 18, 2023 · 27 min
EKU Podcast: Depression in adults
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. 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.
Sep 11, 2023 · 13 min
Introduction to gambling related harms
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. Production, editorial, and distribution owned by the Royal College of General Practitioners.
Sep 11, 2023 · 19 min
Primary care management of gambling harms
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. Production, editorial, and distribution owned by the Royal College of General Practitioners.
Aug 7, 2023 · 19 min
Early diagnosis of cervical and endometrial cancer podcast
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.
Jun 28, 2023 · 15 min
Prescribing safety
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.
Apr 24, 2023 · 23 min
Cancer detection
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. Reviewed and updated: April 2026
Apr 3, 2023 · 25 min
Lipids and cardiovascular disease
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 An educational grant was received from Amarin UK Limited for the production of this resource. Editorial and content decisions were made solely by the RCGP.
Mar 29, 2023 · 19 min
EKU2022.1: Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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.
Mar 6, 2023 · 20 min
Holistic care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease
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