Royal College of General Practitioners - Online Learning Environment

This is a recording of a live conference that took place on 11 March 2025. This recording will be available to view until 29 December 2025.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) issues account for up to 30% of general practitioner consultations, representing a significant clinical and societal burden. MSK disabilities often persist longer than other conditions, leading to reduced quality of life and broader socioeconomic implications. GPs play a crucial role in early diagnosis, effective management, and preventive care for MSK conditions to minimise disability and encourage healthier lifestyles.

This conference aims to empower primary care practitioners to enhance patient outcomes and promote physical activity as a preventive and therapeutic strategy.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this conference, participants will be able to:

• Strengthen diagnostic skills: recognise common and rare musculoskeletal conditions in primary care through improved clinical examination and history-taking techniques. Differentiate between inflammatory, mechanical and systemic causes of MSK symptoms.
• Enhance management strategies: increase confidence in delivering evidence-based management plans. Explore the latest guidelines and treatments for conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain and soft tissue injuries.
• Improve patient outcomes: apply practical strategies to improve patient education, self-management, and adherence to treatment plans. Understand when to refer patients for specialist care and how to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, such as physiotherapists and rheumatologists.
• Encourage preventive care and physical activity: recognise the importance of early intervention to reduce the risk of long-term disability.

Topics include:

• Paediatric rheumatology
• Physical activity
• Gout
• Osteoporosis
• Hand disorders
• Back and hip
• Shoulder and knee

Conference Chair:

Dr Jean Wong, GPwER Sports and Exercise Medicine, SEM ST6

This is a recording of a live webinar that took place on 21 November 2024 This recording will be available to view until 21 August 2025.

Join us for this insightful conference focusing on improving and expanding access to mental health care in line with the NHS long-term plan. Discussions will address the critical role of primary care in supporting patients with diverse mental health conditions, recognising that current systems often fall short for both patients and professionals. The challenges have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased workload pressures and heightened mental health needs.

Our experienced speakers will provide evidence-based information tailored to the needs of primary care. You'll receive practical advice and useful resources to support patients dealing with a range of difficulties, including depression, psychosis, eating disorders, and perinatal mental health issues. You will learn how to support patients dealing with a range of difficulties, including depression, psychosis and eating disorders mental health problems. We will also discuss the limitations of current arrangements and the need for comprehensive solutions beyond NHS talking Therapies. By the end of this event, you will be better equipped to identify and meet the mental health needs of your patients and manage the increasing demands on primary care services.

Topics include:

• Management of people with depression in primary care
• Eating disorders
• Management of people with complex emotional needs
• Managing children with mental health problems in primary care
• Postnatal depression and puerperal psychosis
• Managing people with psychosis in primary care 
• Practitioner wellbeing 
• Bipolar disorder