Clinical Update

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, GP and RCGP safeguarding lead Dr Joy Shacklock talks to medical editor Sangeeta Krishnan about safeguarding children in primary care.  She shares insights into the roles and responsibilities of GPs and other healthcare professionals, , the importance of accurate documentation, and steps to take when a safeguarding concern arises. After listening...

Sexual difficulties are common — around 50% of women and 40% of men in Britain experienced sexual difficulty in the past year, according to the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles. However, both patients and clinicians can find it difficult to initiate discussions about sexual function, and these issues often go unmentioned in primary care.  In this episode of the Clinical Upda...

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills more women each year than all types of cancer combined, yet it may be under-recognised and under-treated in women. GP Dr Suneeta Kochhar offers practical advice on how GPs can address this.   Speaking to MIMS Learning medical editor Dawn Liz Powell, Dr Kochhar explains that the reasons for this include women continuing to be under-represented in clinica...

Not all people who present to their GP with low mood will meet the threshold for clinical depression, given distress or sadness can be a normal, even expected, response to a difficult life event (such as bereavement). In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, the MIMS Learning editors look at how to distinguish distress from more severe forms of depression, and how management of depression d...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, GP and associate specialist in dermatology Dr Angelika Razzaque delves into the most common acute skin conditions seen in general practice.  She shares her valuable insights on diagnosing and managing a range of these conditions, from impetigo to topical steroid withdrawal and severe drug reactions.  After listening to this podcast, healthc...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, the MIMS Learning team discusses red flags and risk factors for gynaecological cancers. Over 22,000 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer in the UK every year. In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, the MIMS Learning editors consider when to investigate  postmenopausal bleeding, the impact of  combined oral contraceptives on cance...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, GP Dr Toni Hazell talks to MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson about obesity, women’s health, and the use of weight loss medications by people who may be taking hormones for contraception or menopause. Dr Hazell talks about the nature of obesity and its effects on people’s lives, including the ‘heartbreaking’ stigma that they may experience. She says t...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, the MIMS Learning team discusses presentations of fever, and accompanying symptoms for GPs to look out for that could indicate potentially serious disease. Fever is a common symptom discovered during a GP consultation, and may be an indicator of potentially serious disease. MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson and medical editor Sangeeta Krishnan l...

MIMS Learning’s deputy editor, Rhiannon Ashman, brings you key insights and discussions from MIMS Learning Live South (13 June 2025), taking a tour through hot topics — including asthma diagnosis, menopause management, why ‘old is new’ in childhood infections, and earlier cancer diagnosis. Our expert guests – Dr Steve Holmes, Dr Olivia Hum, Dr Justin Penner and Dr Owen Carter – distil complex...

Musculoskeletal disorders can range from acute injuries to chronic conditions and accounts for nearly one third of GP consultations. In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, the MIMS Learning’s medical editors discuss musculoskeletal symptoms that can be red flags, inflammatory conditions, and back pain. Educational objectives After listening to this podcast, GPs and other healthcare profes...

‘Up to 20% of people with type 2 diabetes may actually have type 3c diabetes,’ GP Dr Patrick Holmes tells Dawn Liz Powell in this episode of the Clinical Update podcast. Type 3c diabetes, also known as pancreatic diabetes, occurs as a result of damage to the pancreas. Risk factors include chronic pancreatitis, excessive alcohol use, prior pancreatic surgery, and conditions such as cystic fibrosis....

The General Medical Council (GMC) says that patients should be considered to be ‘approaching the end of life’ when they are likely to die within the next 12 months, adding that one of the most challenging decisions — for healthcare professionals and patients — is when/if to withdraw life-prolonging treatment. In this episode of the Clinical Update, the MIMS Learning team explores how to identify w...

In this episode of the Clinical Update Podcast, GP Dr Kevin Barrett speaks to MIMS Learning’s medical editor Sangeeta Krishnan about bowel problems in older people. Dr. Barrett provides invaluable insights into the gastrointestinal issues in older patients encountered in primary care. He explores the spectrum of GI conditions seen in older adults, with a particular focus on diagnostic challenges a...

MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson and deputy editor Rhiannon Ashman outline how this year’s MIMS Learning Live South 2025 event programme aligns with GPs’ learning needs, and how the programme design meets delegate preferences. Find out which hot topics we’ll be covering at the event, listen to clips from speakers about why their topics are important and what they’re looking forward to, and recall...

People with learning disabilities have a lower life expectancy than those without, Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham tells medical editor Dawn Liz Powell in this episode of the Clinical Update podcast. She adds that while this can relate to  comorbid physical conditions, it can also be because of health inequalities . ‘ Possibly they don’t receive the same quality of care that the general population r...

From laryngitis to Parkinson's disease, vocal overuse to malignancy, this episode of the Clinical Update podcast explores some common and other more serious causes of speech and voice disorders. Listen for practical insights on patient assessment, red flags to look out for, vocal hygiene, and when to refer, so you can manage these presentations more confidently. You can access the website version...

As Women’s Health Ambassador for England, Professor Dame Lesley Regan leads the implementation of the Government’s Women’s Health Strategy. In this episode of the Clinical Update Podcast she talks to MIMS Learning’s Deputy Editor Rhiannon Ashman about her focus on improving women's healthcare across their lives.  Professor Regan emphasises, ‘when we get it right for women, we get it right for...

Tired all the time’ is a common presentation in primary care. In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, the MIMS Learning editors discuss this symptom from a clinical perspective.  This episode looks at some of the common causes of tiredness and fatigue, including sleep apnoea, nutritional deficiencies, thyroid problems, and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). I...

Asthma is the most common long-term medical condition in UK children, affecting about 1 in 11 children or young people. Dr Cara Bossley, consultant in pediatric respiratory medicine at King’s College Hospital, talks to MIMS Learning editor Sangeeta Krishnan about the risk factors, prevalence, mortality, and diagnosis of childhood asthma.  She also discusses the NICE/SIGN/BTS guidelines on ast...

About 40% of people with diabetes will develop chronic kidney disease (CKD), making diabetes the leading cause of CKD. Mortality in people with both diabetes and CKD is higher than in those with either condition alone. In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, the MIMS Learning editors look at diabetes-related kidney disease. They discuss the mortality and morbidity associated with the condi...

GP and training programme director Dr Pipin Singh provides tips on when to use FIT tests, how to adhere to guidelines on their use, and discusses the need for clear protocols around referrals and safety netting to avoid delayed cancer diagnosis.  This podcast aims to help healthcare professionals to recall which test results are significant within the context of community testing and within G...

Autoimmune conditions are common, and people may be affected by more than one.  In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, the MIMS Learning editors discuss tips on identifying key symptoms and the importance of timely referral. Conditions discussed include type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, coeliac disease and the blistering skin condition bullous pemphigoid.  Learn...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, Professor Willie Hamilton talks to MIMS Learning deputy editor Rhiannon Ashman about how cancer risk assessment tools can be used in primary care, why patients don’t respond how we expect when faced with the possibility of cancer, and why some of what we thought we knew about cancer diagnostics is no longer true. He emphasises that, where cancer is c...

Skin conditions are common in children, but their diagnosis can pose a large challenge.  Join the MIMS Learning editors Sangeeta Krishnan and Rhiannon Ashman for a discussion on paediatric and neonatal skin conditions, ranging from rashes to eczema. Learn how to identify key symptoms, distinguish between conditions based on their presentation, and manage them effectively in clinical practice....

In the ever-changing world of GP appraisal, there is a new emphasis on personal wellbeing and treating patients and colleagues with compassion and respect in line with General Medical Council (GMC) guidance.  In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson talks to GP appraiser Dr Ravi Ramanathan about the latest developments and what they mean for individual...