RCP Medicine Podcast

In this episode of the RCP Medicine Podcast, Dr Vincent Simpson, diabetes and endocrine registrar based in Derriford, Plymouth joins Dr Bryony Alderman, palliative medicine consultant and RCP Education Fellow in Sustainability. Together, they explore the intersection of diabetes care and environmental sustainability, focusing on Vincent’s pioneering work around reusable cartridge insulin pens.From the initial spark of curiosity during a training session to national-level conversations with NHS England, Vincent shares his journey of uncovering the environmental impact of diabetes devices and advocating for change. The discussion covers practical steps clinicians can take, the importance of behavioural change, and how small interventions can lead to significant improvements in both patient care and environmental outcomes.Whether you're a physician, policymaker, or someone living with diabetes, this episode offers valuable insights into how sustainability can be seamlessly integrated into clinical practice.Dr Vincent Simpson and team recently won an RCP Excellence in Patient Care award for Sustainability – reducing the environmental impact of healthcare ResourcesPaper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dme.15409Local guidelines: https://sustainablediabetes.short.gy/guidelinesWebsite: https://sustainablediabetescare.comLinkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dr-vincent-simpsonBluesky:https://bsky.app/profile/drvsimpson.bsky.socialCreditsDr Bryony Alderman, consultant in palliative medicine, is the RCP Sustainability Fellow. Financial support for this clinical fellowship was provided as an Independent Medical Education Grant from Pfizer Limited. Pfizer Limited had no involvement in candidate selection, and no influence on the work of the clinical fellowship.Explore our CPD portfolio by your career stageEducation and professional development | RCPRCP LinksEducationRCP Social MediaInstagramLinkedInFacebookBlueskyMusic:  Episode 50 onward - Bensound.com  Episodes 1 - 49 'Impressive Deals' - Nicolai Heidlas

Consultant respiratory physician Milind Savani shares his expertise on the intricate case of a 45-year-old woman facing progressive breathlessness. Foundation doctor Masooma Ali presents initial findings and engages in a lively discussion on differential diagnoses. They dive into the challenges of recognizing paradoxical breathing and diaphragm weakness. Topics include diagnostic testing for chronic respiratory failure, the potential for non-invasive ventilation, and when to consider surgical options like diaphragm plication. Listeners gain valuable insights into clinical reasoning and multidisciplinary collaboration.

Rik Patel, a Consultant rheumatologist and general physician with expertise in large vessel vasculitis, shares insights on giant cell arteritis. He discusses a complex case featuring a 70-year-old patient with headaches and systemic symptoms. Key topics include interpreting headache patterns, the overlap with polymyalgia rheumatica, and the significance of visual symptoms. Rik emphasizes the role of fast-track pathways for diagnosis and treatment, and highlights new treatments like tocilizumab that have transformed patient outcomes.

In this episode of the RCP Medicine podcast, Professor Mark Harber, nephrologist, and RCP sustainability advisor, is joined by Chris Gormley, Chief Sustainability Officer at NHS England, to explore the NHS’s groundbreaking journey toward net zero.Together, they discuss the origins of the NHS’s green strategy, the global health implications of climate change, and the ambitious targets set for 2040 and 2045. Chris shares insights into the NHS’s leadership on sustainability, the economic and health drivers behind the movement, and the practical steps being taken - from decarbonising the supply chain to rolling out solar energy across NHS estates.Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in embedding sustainability into clinical practice, the importance of international collaboration, and how clinicians and staff can get involved through green plans and toolkits.ResourcesGreener NHS plan website - https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/Greener NHS – case studies https://www.england.nhs.uk/greenernhs/whats-already-happening/12 things we can do as individuals to become greenerRCP view on healthcare sustainability and climate changeCSH Courses Courses | Centre for Sustainable Healthcaree-learning for Health – Environmentally Sustainable Healthcare Environmentally Sustainable Healthcare - elearning for healthcare (e-lfh.org.uk)SusQI.org (step by step guide) Step-by-step guide | Centre for Sustainab (susqi.org)Greener NHS Greener NHS (england.nhs.uk)CSH Resource Library Resource library | Sustainable Healthcare Networks HubCSH Networks Networks | Sustainable Healthcare Networks HubExplore our CPD portfolio by your career stageEducation and professional development | RCPRCP LinksEducationRCP Social MediaInstagramLinkedInFacebookBlueskyMusic:  Episode 50 onward - Bensound.com  Episodes 1 - 49 'Impressive Deals' - Nicolai Heidlas

In this episode of the RCP Medicine podcast, Dr Helen Banks, Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine and Training Programme Director for Rehabilitation Northwest/Mersey, talks to Dr Ganesh Bavikatte, Consultant and Clinical Lead for Rehabilitation Medicine at The Walton Centre in Liverpool. They discuss disability after stroke and the role of specialist rehabilitation to help patients optimise their activity and independence. Their discussion describes the rehabilitation pathway, from acute and through to the community, and highlights medical issues that may arise along the way. Dr Ganesh Bavikatte has been a consultant and clinical lead at The Walton Centre NHS Trust and Cheshire and Merseyside Rehabilitation Network since 2012. The Walton Centre is a Neuroscience Specialist NHS Trust, and the Cheshire and Mersey rehabilitation network has a pathway from hyperacute to community care for patients following severe injury, illness, and injuries, including those with stroke. ResourcesSpasticity in adults: management using botulinum toxin | National GuidelinesSpasticity in adults: management using botulinum toxin | RCPCheshire and Mersey rehabilitation network https://www.cmrehabnetwork.nhs.uk/Explore our CPD portfolio by your career stageEducation and professional development | RCPRCP LinksEducationRCP Social MediaInstagramLinkedInFacebookBlueskyMusic:  Episode 50 onward - Bensound.com  Episodes 1 - 49 'Impressive Deals' - Nicolai Heidlas

Neil Stone, a consultant in infectious diseases and microbiology at University College London, dives into the world of clinical mycology. He discusses the urgent issue of Candida auris, a multi-drug resistant fungus threatening healthcare. Challenges in diagnosing cryptococcal meningitis, especially in HIV patients, are explored, alongside the importance of proper diagnostics for effective treatment. Neil also highlights the rising significance of environmental health in relation to fungal diseases, pushing for a collaborative approach to patient care and management.

Dr Dale Seviar, consultant haematologist at Guy's and St Thomas' with expertise in haemoglobinopathies, guides a clinical stroll through sickle cell care. Short, practical segments cover initial assessment, acute pain management, acute chest syndrome differentials and transfusion complications. The conversation closes with long term treatments, curative options and on-call tips for timely escalation.

In this episode RCP Medicine Podcast, we are joined by Dr John Dean, Clinical Vice President at the Royal College of Physicians and a physician in East Lancashire, and Dr John Ford, an academic public health doctor and Senior Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary University. Together. They explore the multifaceted nature of health inequalities and discuss actionable steps physicians can take to address these disparities. Both share their personal experiences and professional insights into health inequalities and how it shaped their understanding of social and economic disadvantages. They discuss the structural factors within society that lead to health inequalities and emphasise the importance of creating a fairer, more inclusive society. The conversation focusses on the role of clinicians in addressing health care inequalities and the need for continuous improvement in healthcare design and delivery.ResourcesBridging the gap: a guide to making health inequalities a strategic priority for NHS leadersA snapshot of UK doctors: experiences of health inequalitiesSupporting clinicians to address health inequalities in practiceRCP view on health inequalities: a call to action for a cross-government strategyFundingThis episode was funded by Vertex Pharmaceuticals (Europe) Limited. Vertex had no involvement in the creation and elaboration of this episode and all views and opinions expressed by the presenter and guests are solely their own.Explore our CPD portfolio by your career stageEducation and professional development | RCPRCP LinksEducationRCP Social MediaInstagramLinkedInFacebookBlueskyMusic:  Episode 50 onward - Bensound.com  Episodes 1 - 49 'Impressive Deals' - Nicolai Heidlas

In this episode of the RCP Medicine podcast, Professor Ailsa Hart and Dr Eathar Shakweh discuss how to approach managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in the acute medical setting. This is the second episode of a 2-part series, with a focus on Crohn's disease. IBD is a common condition, affecting 1 in 123 people in the UK. The 2024 State of the IBD Care in the UK report highlighted the urgent need to shorten time to diagnosis and initiate early treatment to minimise the risk of IBD-related complications. Acute and general medicine physicians have an important role to play in diagnosing and managing IBD. This podcast will equip medics at all stages of training with the necessary knowledge to approach this heterogenous and complex condition. Professor Hart is Director of IBD Research at St Mark’s Hospital, London, United Kingdom and a world-leading expert in IBD. Eathar is an IBD Clinical Research Fellow at St Mark’s and Imperial, with a special interest in perianal fistulising Crohn’s disease. Crohn's & Colitis UK (CCUK) Websitehttps://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/This is a valuable resource for patients and healthcare professionals alike, containing a wealth of information on IBD investigation and management.British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) guidelines on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) - 2019Lamb, Christopher Andrew et al. “British Society of Gastroenterology consensus guidelines on the management of inflammatory bowel disease in adults.” Gut vol. 68,Suppl 3 (2019): s1-s106. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318484https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31562236/For interested listeners, these are the national guidelines for IBD diagnosis and management. Please note, the new guidelines for 2025 are pending release.ECCO Guidelines on Therapeutics in Crohn's disease: Medical TreatmentTorres, Joana et al. “ECCO Guidelines on Therapeutics in Crohn's Disease: Medical Treatment.” Journal of Crohn's & colitis vol. 14,1 (2020): 4-22. doi:10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjz180https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38877997/ECCO Guidelines on Surgery in Crohn's disease: Surgical TreatmentAdamina, Michel et al. “ECCO Guidelines on Therapeutics in Crohn's Disease: Surgical Treatment.” Journal of Crohn's & colitis vol. 18,10 (2024): 1556-1582. doi:10.1093/ecco-jcc/jjae089https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38878002/These are the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) guidelines on therapeutics in Crohn's disease, divided into medical and surgical treatment.Explore our CPD portfolio by your career stageEducation and professional development | RCPRCP LinksEducationRCP Social MediaInstagramLinkedInFacebookBlueskyMusic:  Episode 50 onward - Bensound.com  Episodes 1 - 49 'Impressive Deals' - Nicolai Heidlas

In this episode of the RCP Medicine podcast, Professor Ailsa Hart and Dr Eathar Shakweh discuss how to approach managing Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in the acute medical setting. This is the first episode of a 2-part series, with a focus on ulcerative colitis.  IBD is a common condition, affecting 1 in 123 people in the UK. The 2024 State of the IBD Care in the UK report highlighted the urgent need to shorten time to diagnosis and initiate early treatment to minimise the risk of IBD-related complications. Acute and general medicine physicians have an important role to play in diagnosing and managing IBD. This podcast will equip medics at all stages of training with the necessary knowledge to approach this heterogenous and complex condition. Professor Hart is Director of IBD Research at St Mark’s Hospital, London, United Kingdom and a world-leading expert in IBD. Eathar is an IBD Clinical Research Fellow at St Mark’s and Imperial, with a special interest in perianal fistulising Crohn’s disease. Crohn's & Colitis UK (CCUK) Websitehttps://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/This is a valuable resource for patients and healthcare professionals alike, containing a wealth of information on IBD investigation and management.British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG) guidelines on Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) - 2019Lamb, Christopher Andrew et al. “British Society of Gastroenterology consensus guidelines on the management of inflammatory bowel disease in adults.” Gut vol. 68,Suppl 3 (2019): s1-s106. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2019-318484https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31562236/For interested listeners, these are the national guidelines for IBD diagnosis and management. Please note, the new guidelines for 2025 are pending release.Explore our CPD portfolio by your career stageEducation and professional development | RCPRCP LinksEducationRCP Social MediaInstagramLinkedInFacebookBlueskyMusic:  Episode 50 onward - Bensound.com  Episodes 1 - 49 'Impressive Deals' - Nicolai Heidlas