RCP Medicine Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of the RCP Medicine Podcast, Dr Lisa Hamza, HIV and Sexual Health Consultant at St George’s Hospital, London, joins Dr Rohan Mehra, Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Registrar, to explore the evolving landscape of HIV care. Together, they delve into the virology, history, and treatment of HIV, highlighting the remarkable progress made over the past four decades - from the early days of the epidemic to today’s cutting-edge therapies and prevention strategies.

Dr Hamza shares insights from her work as HIV Network Lead in South West London and co-chair of the HIV London Forum, discussing the challenges of stigma, late diagnosis, and health inequalities. The conversation also covers the UK’s HIV Action Plan, the impact of opt-out testing, and the promise of long-acting treatments and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This episode is a powerful reminder of how far we've come and how much further we must go to reach zero transmissions, zero deaths, and zero stigma.

RCP Archive, Heritage Library and Museum 

The Royal College of Physicians Heritage library, Archive and Museum are seeking to collect objects, documents and publications to reflect the experiences of physicians delivering HIV/AIDS care and people living with HIV/AIDS. Further information can be found at: https://history.rcp.ac.uk/collections/call-for-donations-related-to-HIV-AIDS

The RCP’s six-step programme for the new consultant | RCP

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In this episode of the RCP Medicine podcast, we delve into the complexities of obesity and the importance of person-centred care. Hosted by Dr Vasiliki Thanopoulou, a rheumatology and general internal medicine specialist registrar and RCP Clinical Education Fellow, she is joined by Dr Charles Fox and Dr Anne Kilvert, both retired consultant diabetes physicians with over 30 years of experience in teaching healthcare professionals how to deliver empowering, person-centred care.

Together, they explore how stigma, unconscious bias, and assumptions can hinder effective communication and care for people living with obesity. Drawing on NICE guidelines and their own clinical experiences, Anne and Charles offer practical strategies for fostering empathy, respect, and shared decision-making in clinical encounters. This episode complements the RCP’s e-learning modules on obesity and is part of the broader initiative to address health inequalities.

Whether you're a clinician, educator, or learner, this conversation will challenge you to rethink how you approach weight-related discussions and empower patients to take control of their health journey.

Resources

RCP elearning - Obesity

NICE guidelines: Overweight and obesity management | Guidance | NICE

Lancet: Definition and diagnostic criteria of clinical obesity - The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology

The European Association for the Study of Obesity: A new framework for the diagnosis, staging and management of obesity in adults - EASO

Dr Charles Fox and Dr Anne Kilvert: www.diabetescounselling.co.uk

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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) Website

https://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) - 2019

Lamb, 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-2019-318484

https://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 Treatment

Torres, 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/jjz180

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38877997/

ECCO Guidelines on Surgery in Crohn's disease: Surgical Treatment

Adamina, 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/jjae089

https://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.

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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) Website

https://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) - 2019

Lamb, 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-2019-318484

https://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.

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Teach the teacher

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Ep 50 onward - Bensound.com  
Ep 1 - 49 'Impressive Deals' - Nicolai Heidlas 
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In this episode of RCP Medicine podcasts Dr Racheal Cheek and Dr Ben Chadwick discuss a common presentation to Acute Medicine. We use this as a springboard to discuss the differences that near patient testing can make in assisting rapid diagnosis and management on the Acute Medicine Unit, and how this can influence length of stay.

Dr Ben Chadwick is an Acute Medicine Consultant at Southampton General Hospital. He has a specialist interest in Medical Education and has previously been Training Programme Director for Acute Internal Medicine in Wessex and has chaired the Acute Internal Medicine Specialist Advisory Committee. He has recently been appointed to the Deputy Registrar role at the Royal College of Physicians.

Dr Racheal Cheek is an Acute Internal Medicine Registrar training in Wessex. She has been Chief Resident at University Hospitals Dorset, leading projects focused on improving patient safety. She is embracing new adventures whilst currently on maternity leave.   

Resources

Clinical impact of syndromic molecular point-of-care testing for gastrointestinal pathogens in adults hospitalised with suspected gastroenteritis (GastroPOC): a pragmatic, open-label, randomised controlled trial. Brendish, Nathan J et al. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, Volume 23, Issue 8, 945 - 955

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In this episode of the RCP Medicine podcast, Rebecca Kuruvilla, a previous RCP clinical education fellow and an ST7 Clinical Pharmacology and GIM registrar talks with Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, an honorary consultant physician with a specialist interest in liver disease. They discuss the rising issue of alcohol-related harm in the UK, the impact of Covid-19 on alcohol misuse, and the role of regulation in reducing health harms. Professor Gilmore also shares insights on the changing drinking culture, the influence of the alcohol industry, and the importance of evidence-based policies to address this significant public health challenge. 

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore is an honorary consultant physician at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and holds an honorary chair at the University of Liverpool. With a specialist interest in liver disease, he has served as the president of the Royal College of Physicians and is the founding chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, a coalition of over 50 organizations working together to reduce the harm caused by alcohol. Professor Gilmore has been a vocal advocate for evidence-based policies to tackle alcohol misuse and has contributed significantly to public health research and policy.

Resources

Alcohol Health Alliance

Alcohol advice - NHS

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In this episode of RCP Medicine podcasts Dr Racheal Cheek and Dr Ben Chadwick discuss an interesting case involving a deteriorating patient and the challenges around appropriate escalation of care in the acute setting. We discuss the difficulties that can occur when dealing with a deteriorating patient, and think about different strategies to ensure that the right care can be given in the right environment.

Dr Ben Chadwick is an Acute Medicine Consultant at Southampton General Hospital. He has a specialist interest in Medical Education and has previously been Training Programme Director for Acute Internal Medicine in Wessex and has chaired the Acute Internal Medicine Specialist Advisory Committee. He has recently been appointed to the Deputy Registrar role at the Royal College of Physicians.

Dr Racheal Cheek is an Acute Internal Medicine Registrar training in Wessex. She has been Chief Resident at University Hospitals Dorset, leading projects focused on improving patient safety. She is embracing new adventures whilst currently on maternity leave.   

Resources

IDSA/ATS 2007 - NICE suggest for decisions regarding ICU admission that this clinical decision aid should be considered superior to PSI/CURB-65 for pneumonia
https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/44/Supplement_2/S27/372079

SBAR tool 

NEWS2 

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In this episode of RCP Medicine podcasts Dr Racheal Cheek and Dr Ben Chadwick discuss a challenging case of Deep Venous Thrombosis in a young patient. We discuss potential causes, and options for treatment, with reference to NICE guidance 

Dr Ben Chadwick is an Acute Medicine Consultant at Southampton General Hospital. He has a specialist interest in Medical Education and has previously been Training Programme Director for Acute Internal Medicine in Wessex and has chaired the Acute Internal Medicine Specialist Advisory Committee. He has recently been appointed to the Deputy Registrar role at the Royal College of Physicians.

Dr Racheal Cheek is an Acute Internal Medicine Registrar training in Wessex. She has been Chief Resident at University Hospitals Dorset, leading projects focused on improving patient safety. She is embracing new adventures whilst currently on maternity leave.   

References

Editor's Choice – European Society for Vascular Surgery (ESVS) 2021 Clinical Practice Guidelines on the Management of Venous Thrombosis - https://www.ejves.com/article/S1078-5884(20)30868-6/fulltext

NICE: Venous thromboembolic diseases: diagnosis, management and thrombophilia testing - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng158

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In this episode of the RCP Medicine Podcast, Dr. Rohan Mehra, an Infectious Diseases/Microbiology SPR, discusses the critical role of behavioural science in addressing health inequalities. Decreased vaccine uptake and lack of engagement with healthcare services are pressing issues, particularly among those affected by health disparities. To shed light on these challenges, Rohan  is joined by Professor Susan Michie, a leading expert in health psychology and behaviour change from University College London. With her extensive research and practical expertise, Professor Michie explores how we can apply behavioural science to improve healthcare engagement and design effective interventions. Tune in to discover how understanding human behaviour can drive meaningful change in health outcomes.

References:

A synthesis of evidence for policy from behavioural science during COVID-19, Ruggeri et al.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06840-9

The human behaviour change project 

www.humanbehaviourchange.org

Complex Systems for Sustainability and Health

 https://www.ucl.ac.uk/complex-urban-systems/cussh.

Behaviour Change Wheel: A Guide to Designing Interventions 

www.behaviourchangewheel.com

WHO behavioural science group

https://www.who.int/initiatives/behavioural-sciences 

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In this episode of RCP medicine podcast, Dr Zeina Al-Matlik is joined by Dr John Williamson, a consultant Neurologist and Stroke Physician working in Liverpool,  to discuss one of the leading causes worldwide for disability - Strokes. Whether you are a healthcare provider, caregiver, or a stroke survivor, this podcast covers everything you need to know about the vital ins and outs of stroke. 

This episode unpacks essential topics such as recognizing the warning signs of strokes and acting FAST, ( Face, Arm, Slurred speech, Time - acronym used for identification of potential stroke), understanding the difference between TIAs ( Transient Ischemic Attacks) and Ischemic and haemorrhagic strokes and their managements, prevention of strokes including lifestyle and medical modifications of risk factors, and finally discussing common Stroke mimics and how to recognize them. Listeners will also get a chance to explore the latest breakthrough advancements and guidelines in stroke research and treatments such as life saving thrombolysis - also known as clot busting medication and thrombectomies - whereby a catheter is inserted into blood vessel to help retrieve and remove clots.

This episode is designed to educate, empower, and provide practical tips for both healthcare providers and patients to spread awareness, understand strokes and take prompt action to improve outcomes as Time is brain. 🧠

Resources
National Clinical Guideline for Stroke for the UK and Ireland - https://www.strokeguideline.org/

Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) - https://neurosymptoms.org/en/

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