Clinical Update

Different pollens can trigger hayfever at different times of the year and, potentially, if they are sensitive to all these different pollens, patients could be symptomatic from early January until October. Honorary consultant physician Dr Glenis Scadding advises that patients should start taking hayfever medication before their symptoms start and only stop taking it when their symptoms are likely...

The perinatal period — from the start of pregnancy until the baby's first birthday — is a time of significant change for women and, while much of this can be positive, for some, it brings major challenges.  Mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, OCD and PTSD, can have significant and long-lasting effects on both mothers and children. But, in this episode of the Clinical Updat...

How do we solve population pressure and climate crisis in space? How has GPS allowed us to provide 12% more food globally? How did the UK become a global leader in small satellite manufacture after the British Government said, “there’s no future for the UK satellite industry”? How did Elon Musk turn reusable rockets from science fiction to science fact in less than 20 years? What else are “Elon an...

Up to one-third of patients with a previous asthma diagnosis show no evidence of the condition upon further evaluation – so GPs should be prepared to re-evaluate, according to respiratory GP Dr Steve Holmes. Dr Holmes says: ‘When I see somebody and I think it’s asthma but the FeNO is normal and the eosinophils are normal, and then I send them for spirometry and that test is normal too, quite often...

What did the Space-Comm Expo conference and exhibition tell us about connecting space and wider business? How does this manifest as tech connectivity in telecoms and why do farmers care about that? What did we learn about the benefits of extreme cold in manufacturing laboratories and why do pharmas care about that? How vulnerable are global logistics to the spoofing of navigation signals? And...

Primary care professionals have broadly welcomed the 2026 update to the NICE type 2 diabetes guidelines because it focuses on reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications, such as cardiovascular disease, as well as optimising glycaemic control. With this in mind, MIMS Learning medical editors Dawn and Sangeeta take a deep dive into the extensive diabetes content available on MIMS Learning.&...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, MIMS Learning deputy editor Rhiannon talks to pharmacist Rachel Pilgrim about the impact of medication on breastfeeding cessation. Rachel describes how her own experience inspired her research into this area, and discusses how primary care can support patients with consistent, evidence-based information (and where to find this): ‘Medicines shouldn't...

This episode of the Clinical Update podcast discusses the range of feeding, nutritional and gastroenterology problems a GP might encounter in a paediatric population, including gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), cow’s milk allergy (CMA), and malnutrition. The podcast discusses learning points for primary care professionals around infant feeding and childhood nutrition. It also looks at...

Atrial fibrillation (AF) can be asymptomatic and, sometimes, the condition is only identified when a person has had an AF-related stroke. For this reason, according to GP Dr Chris Arden, ‘we need to be far more proactive and more opportunistic’ about identifying AF in primary care. This could involve performing pulse checks at flu clinics or chronic disease clinics, focusing on elderly patients gi...

As of 2026, the UK space industry is a significant and strategic driver of the national economy, contributing over £19 billion in revenue and supporting tens of thousands of high-skilled jobs. Satellite-based services and data underpin roughly 18% of UK GDP, equivalent to approximately £454 billion of the wider economy. And the sector is growing exponentially. But this is just the tip of the icebe...

Mental healthcare is a vital part of general practice. In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson and medical editor Sangeeta Krishnan discuss case studies that prompt GPs to reflect on their practice. 0.5 CPD hours This podcast draws on the mental health learning plan, featuring modules written by Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham, to highlight important aspects...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, academic GP Dr Sam Finnikin speaks to MIMS Learning’s medical editor Sangeeta Krishnan about the essential role of shared decision-making  in modern primary care.  Sam talks about why shared decision-making is a legal and ethical responsibility, and how GPs can effectively integrate it into the standard 10-minute consultation. They also dis...

Insomnia refers to the persistent difficulty with getting to sleep, maintaining sleep, or quality of sleep that occurs despite adequate opportunity and circumstances for sleep and results in impaired daytime functioning. It can often be a sign of an underlying psychological or physical condition. In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, MIMS Learning editors Dawn and Pat review how insomnia...

0.5 CPD hours To find out more about the MIMS Learning Live Digital event mentioned at the start of this podcast, click here . In this episode, GP and director of the Primary Care Women’s Health Society, Dr Toni Hazell, talks to Pat Anderson about specific changes to the UKMEC recommendations on contraception safety. She provides key learning points for GPs about how the changes to the UKMEC contr...

0.5 CPD hours To find out more about the MIMS Learning Live Digital event mentioned at the start of this podcast, follow this link . In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson and deputy editor Rhiannon Ashman discuss timely diagnosis of abnormal uterine bleeding, how to assess patients and management options. They draw on the expertise of MIMS Learning’s pro...

Increasing ambulance wait times and patient complexity have shifted the role of primary care in managing emergencies.  In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, GP and clinical lecturer Dr. Tim Sanders speaks to medical editor Sangeeta Krishnan about the need for extended stabilisation of a patient in primary care because of longer wait times for an ambulance, high-acuity low-occurrence...

People who live with obesity can be malnourished if they are eating a high-calorie diet that has low nutritional value, president of British Obesity Society and obesity nurse specialist Jane DeVille-Almond tells Dawn Liz Powell (medical editor at MIMS Learning) in this episode of the Clinical Update podcast.  Jane adds that people on weight loss medications can also be at risk of malnutrition...

In the first Clinical Update episode of 2026, MIMS Learning editors Dawn Liz Powell and Rhiannon Ashman look at the goals of MIMS Learning’s new editorial campaign — Confidence in Obesity Care.  One of the goals of the campaign is to help GPs and other healthcare professionals better understand the role of GLP-1 medications (also known as weight loss medications) in the management of obe...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, MIMS Learning deputy editor Rhiannon looks back at a year of thought-provoking clinical education from the podcast.  The episode begins with a focus on cancer diagnosis, revisiting a conversation with NHS England’s Professor Peter Johnson on the success of the Lung Cancer Screening Programme. We also hear from pancreatic cancer specialist nurse...

If you enjoy a blend of online learning and podcast-style listening that you can fit into your busy life, then this podcourse is for you. Listen to this 3-part audio series, then go to MIMSLearning.co.uk to read the downloadable worksheets and complete the multiple-choice quizzes, to get up to speed with all the key points primary care professionals need to know about chronic kidney disease (CKD)....

If you enjoy a blend of online learning and podcast-style listening that you can fit into your busy life, then this podcourse is for you.  Listen to this 3-part audio series, then go to MIMSLearning.co.uk to read the downloadable worksheets and complete the multiple-choice quizzes, to get up to speed with all the key points primary care professionals need to know about chronic kidney disease...

If you enjoy a blend of online learning and podcast-style listening that you can fit into your busy life, then this podcourse is for you. Listen to this 3-part audio series, then go to MIMSLearning.co.uk to read the downloadable worksheets and complete the multiple-choice quizzes, to get up to speed with all the key points primary care professionals need to know about chronic kidney disease (CKD)....

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, recorded at MIMS Learning Live North in Liverpool in November 2025, MIMS Learning deputy editor Rhiannon interviews three expert speakers on hot topics in primary care. Consultant ophthalmologist Miss Sajeevika Amarakoon offers practical tips on examining children and adults with eye problems. She outlines when eye problems can be managed in primary...

Dr Deborah Kerr, GP with an extended role in headache at the National Migraine Centre, advises GPs on how to diagnose migraine, how to advise patients on self-management of acute attacks, and the range of pharmacological therapy to prescribe, in this 3-part podcourse. This three-part series is exclusive to MIMS Learning subscribers and follows the case of Simone, a patient with migraine, who prese...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, MIMS Learning editors Sangeeta and Dawn look at skin and hair conditions that might have a different presentation in skin of colour. They discuss the importance of early diagnosis in traction alopecia to prevent permanent scarring and hair loss. They also look at possible causes of hypopigmentation, and how certain signs, such as erythema, may be mor...