Clinical Update

At least 1 in 50 people in the UK are living with an eating disorder, and it’s important to keep an open mind as to which patients may be affected and how they may present to primary care.  Join the MIMS Learning editors Rhiannon Ashman and Dawn Liz Powell for a discussion on possible physical symptoms of eating disorders, screening tools, and atypical eating disorders, as well as tips on ref...

Diagnosis and treatment of cancers such as leukaemia and myeloma poses unique challenges. In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson talks to haemato-oncologist Dr Majid Kazmi about how GPs and specialists can work together to build on progress in this area. After listening to this podcast, healthcare professionals should be better able to: Understand the het...

Broken heart syndrome, which is left ventricular dysfunction in the absence of coronary artery disease, is so-called because it can be triggered by extreme stress, such as loss of a loved one. Stress can also, in people with existing disease, trigger an acute coronary event and exacerbate arrhythmias. In this episode, the MIMS Learning editors Dawn Liz Powell and Rhiannon Ashman review how stress...

Around  25% of the total NHS carbon footprint comes from primary care, and a lot of that relates to medication, Drs Matt Sawyer and Mike Tomson – both former GPs – explain to deputy editor Rhiannon Ashman in this episode of the Clinical Update podcast. They go on to describe how remembering that there are ‘50 shades of green’ can help practices to make small tweaks – for example, to prescribing –...

MIMS Learning editors Pat Anderson and Sangeeta Krishnan discuss the progress that the NHS is making with cancer diagnosis, and pass on some tips for GPs on symptoms and signs of oesophageal and pancreatic cancers. After listening to this podcast, healthcare professionals should be better able to: Appreciate how the NHS is making progress with earlier cancer diagnosis Reflect on which cancers tend...

Biology accounts for about 70% of a person’s predisposition to obesity, Professor Alex Miras says to medical editor Dawn Liz Powell in this episode of the MIMS Learning Clinical Update podcast. However, environmental factors, such as deprivation, also play an important role in whether someone becomes obese. Professor Miras, who is clinical professor of medicine at Ulster University, also talks abo...

More than 2 million people in the UK are living with sight loss, and this is expected to rise to 2. 7 million people by 2030. In this episode, we look at a selection of eye-related symptoms, including thyroid eye disease symptoms, vision loss, double and blurred vision, and eye pain, and considerations for primary care clinicians who may encounter patients with these symptoms. After listening to t...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, Dr Sarah Bull talks to MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson about her experience of running a diagnostic clinic for non-site specific symptoms suggestive of cancer. She describes how GPs make referrals to the clinic, what happens there and how the clinic can speed up cancer diagnosis.  Through case studies, she presents learning points for GPs on w...

In this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer, at NHS England, talks to MIMS Learning deputy editor, Rhiannon Ashman about the state of play of cancer diagnosis in England.  He gives an update on the NHS Long Term Plan, discusses proactive case finding, the success of the lung cancer screening programme, and pilots being launche...

In this episode, editor Pat Anderson and deputy editor Rhiannon Ashman explain why MIMS Learning has chosen the topic of earlier cancer diagnosis for its 2025 campaign, and the 3 key elements – patient, presentation and pathway – that the campaign will address.  Earlier cancer diagnosis is a national priority, and the campaign aims to help GPs to have a positive influence where they can, duri...

We've had some brilliant guests this year, and you'll hear clips from interviews with the experts on health inequalities in cancer care, severe mental illness, how to support members of the LGBTQ+ community, and inspiration for tackling vaccine hesitancy, as well as tips on frailty and care of nursing home residents. Our guests include Dr Ravi Ramanathan, Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham, Dr Susru Su...

In this episode, Dr Prina Ruparelia, joint clinical director for respiratory medicine at St Bartholomew’s and Royal London Hospitals, talks to Dawn Liz Powell about identifying and managing chronic cough in primary care. Dr Ruparelia explains that after ‘worrying conditions’, such as lung cancer, have been excluded in patients with chronic cough, a thorough history should be taken to identify any...

Are you aware of the recommended steps in managing anaphylaxis on your surgery premises? When could back pain be an emergency? Find out with this episode of the Clinical Update podcast, discussing just a few of the potential emergencies that you could encounter as a GP. After listening to this podcast, healthcare professionals should be better able to: Reflect on management of epistaxis Recall the...

Grief is a universal human experience, and the support people receive in the aftermath of a bereavement can have ongoing implications for their health and wellbeing. Linda Magistris, CEO and Founder of The Good Grief Trust, talks to MIMS Learning deputy editor Rhiannon Ashman about effective signposting for bereaved people, appropriate language around death, peer-to-peer support for healthcare pro...

In this episode of the MIMS Learning podcast, the MIMS Learning editors look at the diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in primary care.  They explore why the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) has changed its definition of COPD in recent years and why this is important. They also look at the risk factors for COPD, how it is diag...

Prostate cancer is common: one in four Black men will develop it, and one in eight white men. Professor Mike Kirby talks to MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson about how GPs should approach diagnosis, and provides tips on best care for people who are undergoing or have undergone prostate cancer treatment. He says GPs have a vital role to play in managing cardiovascular risk and managing treatment-re...

Skin, hair and nail symptoms that may indicate a systemic illness are the focus of this episode of the podcast, including pruritus, skin pigmentation, and hair loss. We also discuss how oral symptoms can act as a marker of deteriorating glycaemic control in patients with diabetes, the link between inflammatory skin conditions and cardiovascular risk, and some cutaneous manifestations of psychologi...

Frailty is a state akin to walking on a tightrope - a relatively small `wobble’ can have significant consequences. In an interview with MIMS Learning editor Pat Anderson, frailty GP Dr Alistair Robertson explains the concept of frailty and how it can be usefully applied in general practice. After listening to this podcast, healthcare professionals should be more aware of: The definition of frailty...

Though women often experience sexual health difficulties, few seek medical help for these difficulties. In this studio discussion, the MIMS Learning editors review the potential reasons for this under-reporting, and they also discuss the various ways in which GPs can improve consultations for sexual health issues. The editors also talk about some commonly encountered conditions, like vulvodynia, c...

In this episode, GP Professor Lesley Kavi (chairperson of the charity PoTS UK) talks to Dawn Liz Powell about diagnosing and managing postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS) in primary care. Professor Kavi explains that PoTS refers to an abnormal response to an upright posture — defined as a persistent increase in heart rate of more than 30 beats per minute (40 beats per minute in children) upon stan...

GPs commonly see patients who are experiencing hearing loss, ear pain or inflammation, or who can hear sounds with no external cause (tinnitus). In this episode the MIMS learning editors focus on how to eliminate red flags, how to address causes of hearing loss, manage acute otitis externa, and support patients with tinnitus. After listening to this podcast, healthcare professionals should be more...

In this episode, Monica Boulton, healthcare integration lead at the National Academy for Social Prescribing talks to Rhiannon Ashman, deputy editor at MIMS Learning, about how all members of the primary care team can embed the ethos of social prescribing into their practice. Monica highlights the importance of finding out from patients, ‘not what’s the matter with you, but what matters to you’.&nb...

Chronic pain is pain that lasts for more than 3 months, and it can be primary (with no underlying cause identified) or secondary (with an underlying cause identified). In this episode, the MIMS Learning editors look at the diagnosis and management of chronic pain in primary care. They review what NICE says about assessing chronic pain, the possible causes of chronic pain, and management options.&n...

In this episode of the Clinical update podcast, neurogastroenterology clinical fellow Dr Mohsin Butt talks to Sangeeta Krishnan about the stigma around the term ‘functional gut disorders’, which are now called ‘disorders of gut brain interaction’ (DGBI). He discusses some of the most common DGBI, evidence implicating the microbiome in the pathogenesis of DGBI, and research investigating faecal tra...

Hair loss can be distressing for patients, and many over-the-counter remedies are expensive and ineffective. In this episode, the MIMS Learning team consider red flags for hair loss, possible causes, and which treatments are effective. Types of alopecia that are more common in Black women are discussed, including how you can offer sensitive advice on hair-styling practices.  Educational objec...