In our podcast, we'll look at the evidence, the guidelines and the media coverage and make learning together as a primary care community as relaxing and enjoyable as possible. We invite you to nominate your primary care heroes and share your “best intentions” stories here. So, grab a cuppa or put on your trainers and head out for some fresh air whilst you enjoy this month’s podcast.
We'd love to hear your feedback by email - podcast@redwhale.co.uk or leave us a voice message - Send a voice message to RedWhalePrimaryCarePod (speakpipe.com)
Episode 13 (March 2024)
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. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Acute aortic dissection. What would you do if you suspected it?
- The limping child. Who goes in to hospital? Who might be able to be managed in primary care?
- Soluble tablets. Are you aware how much sodium is in the average soluble pill?
- Quinolones… just say no to systemic fluroquinolones! Why have the MHRA released a drug safety update?
All of the above questions, and more, will be answered during the episode. Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources.
And hear about how some home grown tomatoes brought a primary care team together, but left an unpleasant taste in the mouth!!
Episode 12 (February 2024)
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. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Recent changes with progestogen-only pills. How is the new POP different from the others?
- Erectile dysfunction, and what is Eroxon?
- The available evidence and guidelines regarding measuring oestradiol levels with HRT. Which factors impact oestradiol levels?
- Eating disorders. What are the 5 subtypes of eating disorder?
- Ramadan- how can we support people with long-term conditions?
All of the above questions, and more, will be answered during the episode. Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources.
And hear about how a young primary care parent needed to watch their back whilst trying to juggle everything on a busy work day!
Episode 11 (January 2024)
Grab 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. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Actively beating the new year blues. How can we build conversations about physical activity into our consultations?
- Scabies surge: how do you spot it and manage it? ( And can you get hold of the treatments?!)
- His head is all squished on one side… does the baby have a non-acute asymmetrical head, or not…?
- Measles: an update. With a significant measles outbreak in the West Midlands, have you had a chance to read the BRAND NEW UKHSA National Measles Guideline released in January? Don’t worry if you haven’t had time, we summarise them for you.
All of the above questions, and more, will be answered during the episode. Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources.
And hear about how crossed wires in a consultation lead to red-faced moment!
Episode 10 (December 2023)
Grab 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. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Galleri: will this blood test revolutionise cancer diagnosis? We review the evidence behind it and ask: How effective is it when cancer is suspected, and how effective is it for population screening?
- Sore throat and tonsilitis: All you ever wanted to know! Do you know when we should refer for tonsillectomy?
- Carbon monoxide poisoning: it’s rare but easily missed. Would you be able to spot patterns in the history to make the diagnosis?
- Our free video bytes! We’ve given away 6 bytes in our Pearl email- over 45 minutes of free video CPD including infantile haemangioma, shoulder examination, hoarding disorder, serotonin syndrome, cancer: early diagnosis, and short stature. We discuss what leapt out at us from each one.
All of the above questions will be answered during the episode. Listen as soon as you can to ensure you have full access to all the free resources.
And hear about a home visit with a canine catheter catastrophe!!
Episode 9 (November 2023)
Join us for a relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Healthy ageing: adding quality to years? What does ‘healthy ageing’ look like? What are the 3 trajectories of ageing? How can we work as a primary care team to promote the basics that increase the chance of healthier ageing?
- Preventing breast cancer: what’s our role? The MHRA are now licensing anastrozole for primary prevention of breast cancer in postmenopausal women at moderate to high risk. We discuss our article on Breast cancer: genetic risk, and explore how to assess risk, the evidence for preventative medication and some of the side-effects people taking it may experience.
- Acute retention: sort the catheter… then think: why? A Danish study showed that those who go into acute retention are at an increased risk of being diagnosed with genitourinary cancers in the following 12 months. How much should we worry about this?
- Self-harm: creating a safety-plan. The UK has one of the highest rates of self-harm in Europe and whilst it can occur at any age, it is most common in young people and females. The 2022 NICE Guidelines on self-harm recommend that whilst we are waiting for CAMHS support and assessment, we can help by encouraging the young person to develop a safety-plan. Would you feel confident to do this?
And hear about a colleague’s car-tastrophe…
Episode 8 (October 2023)
Join us for a relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- HRT for primary prevention? About 25% of menopausal-age women have no symptoms and so do not require HRT to treat vasomotor or other hormone-related issues. However, they may be influenced by media messages suggesting that HRT could be used to prevent certain chronic diseases. What do we advise?
- “I’m struggling…” GP burnout has been in the news again: not a surprise to most of us working in primary care. It can affect any role – not just GPs. We share some resources that can hopefully help, however you're feeling at the moment.
- COVID…there’s a lot of it around…again! We summarise the current state of play with antiviral treatments for COVID. We need to know about this so that we can signpost appropriate patients to access treatment – whatever our local route.
- Common, easily missed and affects 10% of females of reproductive age… We discuss endometriosis, including options for first-line management, reasons for referral and surgery, and the impact of menopause on endometriosis.
And hear about a hot and sticky cornered colleague…
Episode 7 (September 2023)
Join us for a relaxed round up of recent Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- GLP-1 mimetics shortages: tackling drug swaps. The headline grabbing GLP-1 mimetics are rarely out of the news- most recently due to supply issues for people with type 2 diabetes. How do we deal with this?
- Tics and Tourette’s syndrome: spotting them in primary care. Singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi has been keen to dispel myths that Tourette’s is all about swearing uncontrollably. We share what you need to know.
- Blepharitis: it’s pretty common and is responsible for about 5% of primary care eye consultations- so worth a reminder about diagnosis and management, to stop you from getting stuck!
- Molluscum contagiosum…a nuisance but not a spell! We look at the diagnosis, management, who needs referral, and when to think about immunosuppression.
And hear about a multitasking, time pressured, dance themed debacle…
Episode 6 (August 2023)
This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Bites: human, animal and insect. It’s still that time of year when the triage list is full of: “Bite ? Infected”. We look at all things bite related including assessment, management and who needs antibiotics.
- DeQuervain’s tenosynovitis: what is it and why we shouldn’t suggest it might have an occupational cause.
- Some tips for doing the 6-8 week baby check: as a welcome to our new GPSTs, and for those of us who learned this longer ago that we like to admit to, have we thought about what might have changed?
- Assertiveness: often we say yes to things that help our patients and colleagues, but sometimes we need to say no. If we do need to say no, how good are we at being assertive?
And hear a cautionary tale from a listener about how, despite the best intentions, a nail issue didn’t turn out to be as straight forward as first thought
Episode 5 (July 2023)
This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: one child in every class at school is potentially affected and unsupported. What can we do about this, and why is discussing alcohol in pregnancy a taboo?
- Varicella zoster (chicken pox) and NSAIDs: why we shouldn’t be recommending ibuprofen for chicken pox or children with shingles, and why a request for it could be considered a red flag…
- Heat-related illness: identifying those at greatest risk. How to prevent it, spot it and treat it.
- Measles: might we see an epidemic? Would we spot a case? How can we support and promote MMR vaccination in our specific local populations?
And hear how a wedding day best intention went horribly wrong, knocking things sideways!
Episode 4 (June 2023)
Join us for a relaxed round up of this month’s Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Intrauterine systems, and how they just got a bit simpler…
- Diabetes and frailty: how we need all our primary care superpowers across the whole multiprofessional team to think about the big picture!
- Joining with Up: The Adult Cerebral Palsy Movement to help us increase our confidence in supporting adults with cerebral palsy.
- Antidepressants: help or harm? What we can learn from the BBC Panorama documentary.
And hear a clinical room calamity from one listener involving a fabulous skirt and a sample pot!
Episode 3 (May 2023)
Join us for a relaxed round up of this month’s Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Would you spot serotonin syndrome?
- Lower urinary tract symptoms: prescribing pointers for 5ARIs
- BMI and ethnic groups
- Anorexia, nutrition and hydration in the last days of life
- Infantile spasms: would you be confident to spot them?
And hear a premonitory account from one listener that might mean you don’t need a shower and a change of clothes before finishing your clinic!
Episode 2 (April 2023)
Join us for a relaxed round up of this month’s Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- Menopause in the media: How our HRT GEMS can help the whole team
- Swap to stop: can e-cigarettes help smokers quit.
- Chronic diarrhoea: could it be microscopic colitis?
- How to assess and manage postural hypotension
And hear a salutary tale from one listener that might just help you avoid a blood sugar showdown!
Episode 1 (March 2023)
Join us for a relaxed round up of this month’s Red Whale primary care Pearls of wisdom. This month, Nik and Caroline discuss:
- NICE guidance on semaglutide for obesity
- “Light bulb” conditions - we explore neuroendocrine tumours.
- Moral injury: looking afters our teams and ourselves!
- A structured approach to chronic cough in adults. And find out about one listeners best intentions to get some physical activity and how they were thwarted by an unexpected encounter.
