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Pearls

Red Whale Pearls are our super useful weekly updates for GPs and other primary care clinicians - designed to turn tricky evidence and guidelines into practical advice for consultations, focus on important issues we shouldn't miss and make our lives easier! Sign up to receive our Pearls by email.

Antibiotic prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections

In 2021, the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH) and UKHSA published a joint position statement against using antibiotics for STIs other than HIV. But what is our role in primary care if a patient approaches us for advice?
12th December 2024
Trainees

Chronic cough in children

There is also chronic cough in children to consider (cough that lasts more that 8 weeks), so we’ve provided a bonus resource this month!
4th December 2024
Trainees

Acute cough in children

In our waiting rooms, how can we best manage the increase in acute coughing in children that we see at this time of year? Here’s a great article that covers assessment, as well as discussing the important role of antibiotics!
4th December 2024

PSA testing in asymptomatic men

This emotive subject has been in the news and social media over the past few weeks, and there will have been many requests for PSA testing.
28th November 2024

Preparing for the worst…

End-of-life care can be one of the most rewarding parts of our jobs. It can also be one of the most stressful. In this week’s Pearl, we consider the important issue of bleeding and haemorrhage in advanced cancer.
14th November 2024

“I get completely covered in an itchy rash…”

Could it be chronic urticaria? This is one of those conditions where a good photo at the time of the attack can make the diagnosis easier. How confident are you in spotting and managing it?
7th November 2024
Trainees

Preparing for the AKT

It’s November, the weather is starting to get colder and we’ve got the heaters coming on in the Red Whale studio! Applied Knowledge Test (AKT) discussions up and down the country are heating up too, so this month's trainee Pearl is all about the AKT.
6th November 2024

Ovarian cancer: genetic risk

Ovarian cancer is difficult to diagnose at an early stage, and we do not have an effective screening programme. Reducing the risk of ovarian cancer death with risk-reduction surgery is an alternative for some at higher genetic risk of the disease, and is now recommended by NICE... so how?
24th October 2024

Mpox … what do we need to know?

In August 2024, the World Health Organization declared mpox a “public health emergency of international concern”. Our authors promptly set to work updating our original article from 2022.
17th October 2024

Big changes in UK vaccination schedules

Did you know... over the past year, there have been significant changes in the UK vaccination schedule? It’s a fast-changing area! If you want to refresh and update your knowledge, click here to read more
10th October 2024

HRT, bleeding and endometrial cancer

This hot topic just got even hotter, with lots of media coverage this week highlighting concerns about the risks of higher-dose oestrogen sometimes prescribed off licence. This just might have triggered a few phone calls and e-consults!
3rd October 2024
Trainees

Helping to demystify HRT for you- HRT GEMS

Our focused GP Trainee Essentials topic this month is hormone replacement therapy. It’s a subject that often requires demystifying because the terminology and management can be challenging. We're here to help!
2nd October 2024

Broken heart? Think Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Named after an octopus trap and sometimes called broken heart syndrome, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is being diagnosed more frequently. In fact, 2% of people initially labelled as having acute coronary syndrome will end up with the diagnosis.
26th September 2024