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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.

Gonorrhoea: prevention through vaccination

This week, the BBC reported that the UK ‘gonorrhoea vaccine’ became widely available through sexual health services from Monday 4 August, so here is our article to help you with any consultations you may have on this!
7th August 2025
Trainees

Top tips for your PDP

So, here we are at the beginning of another academic year! This month we’re sharing our article on Workplace-based Assessment (WPBA). We’ve even mapped out a 3-year plan, based on the RCGP guidance, to help you to pace your training.  
6th August 2025

Managing mastitis has changed…

For women who choose to breastfeed, mastitis can be painful and unwelcome, and they often seek our advice and support – but are we offering the right information?
31st July 2025

It’s getting hot in here… 

For people with hyperhidrosis, this is a year-round challenge that significantly impacts quality of life, relationships and work. Hyperhidrosis is thought to be under-reported, possibly because people feel embarrassed. So, how should we approach the consultation if people do raise concerns? 
17th July 2025

There is NO safe level of drinking: the missed message?

To support Alcohol Awareness Week, this week’s Pearl talks about how to use the AUDIT tool to identify potential alcohol use disorder, deliver brief intervention and how to prevent, spot and refer acute alcohol withdrawal.
10th July 2025

Contraception, weight and GLP-1s

In this week’s Pearl, we share our newly-updated article on contraception and weight, which includes this MHRA guidance. Read more to learn more about considerations we need to make in supporting people living with overweight and obesity.
3rd July 2025
Trainees

What makes a good Personal Development Plan (PDP)?

Let’s face it – these are often left to the last minute. But thinking about them clearly in advance, and defining what you want to achieve going forward, can be more rewarding, both educationally and personally!
2nd July 2025

Cancer, sexuality and gender

June is Pride Month, and we are sharing an article that focuses on some specific considerations for supporting LGBTQ+ people with cancer screening, diagnosis and support when living with and beyond cancer.  
12th June 2025

Potassium 6.1…what should we do?

In this week’s Pearl, we share a GEMS (Guidelines and Evidence Made Simple) on assessing and managing hyperkalaemia in primary care
5th June 2025
Trainees

Contraceptive medical eligibility criteria (UKMEC)

The UK Medical Eligibility Criteria (UKMEC) are guidelines which assist clinicians in prescribing safe and suitable contraceptive options. The recommendations are made by expert working groups based on appraisal of evidence and consensus opinion.
4th June 2025
Trainees