RCGP London and South East

After a great day at the Advocate Summit, the evening continued with the RCGP Inspire Awards, a celebration of the incredible dedication, passion and impact of those working across general practice. We are proud to recognise the outstanding contributions made by GPs and our allies who continue to make a difference to patients, communities and the future of primary care. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners. Your work truly inspires. 👏

We’re excited to be at the Advocate Summit today at 30 Euston Square and looking forward to connecting with local colleagues from across the region. If you’re attending, come and say hello we’d love to see you there! Drop a comment below if you’re joining us today 👇

Prof Margaret Ikpoh DL, Vice President Professional Development shares her top 5 CPD picks for this month. Focusing on resources that sharpen clinical instincts while strengthening the less visible, but equally vital, parts of the role as GPs. 1️. Finance in general practice How confident are you about your finances in your practice? As GPs, we are not just clinicians but business leaders, so understanding finance is essential to sustain and grow successful practices. ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/egGkHYTu 2️. Recurrent UTIs and bladder cancer risk Repeated attendance in primary care with symptoms attributed to UTIs within six months should prompt a higher index of suspicion. This update stood out to me because it sharpens our awareness of patterns we might otherwise normalise. ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/eCd86hxh 3️. Ketamine bladder Heard of ketamine bladder? I picked this because it’s a growing but often under-recognised issue. In just five minutes, this screencast offers practical insight into identifying and managing symptoms - a small time investment that could make a real difference in consultations. ⤵️https://lnkd.in/eGYpv7a7 4️. Sexual health Sexual health remains a core part of general practice, yet confidence can vary. This course appealed to me for its practical, case-based approach - helping us diagnose and manage common STIs while recognising when referral is needed to ensure safe, high-quality care. ⤵️ https://lnkd.in/esyXjq5n 5️. Resistant hypertension Around 10% of patients have true resistant hypertension, with significantly higher cardiovascular and renal risk. I chose this because it’s an area where getting it right really matters - this session offers clear, evidence-based strategies to support better management in everyday practice. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/esyXjq5n

It was lovely to see members of the Essex Faculty come together in Coggeshall yesterday for an afternoon of history, conversation and fresh air. The day began with a fascinating tour of Paycocke’s House, exploring the stories and heritage behind one of Essex’s most historic buildings, before heading out on a relaxed walk through the local area. Events like these are such a nice chance to step away from the day-to-day, catch up with colleagues and spend time together outside of work. Thank you to everyone who joined and helped make it such an enjoyable afternoon. We’re always keen to welcome new faces to Essex Faculty events, so if you’d like to get involved and join us at a future event, please do get in touch.

North East London Faculty Chair Ross Cunningham and RCGP colleagues La-keish Oram and Liz Jeavans were pleased to visit North Middlesex University Hospital today, meeting with GP Registrars and having some really valuable conversations about the work of the College and the support available throughout training and beyond. It is always a pleasure to connect with future GPs, hear about their experiences and share more about the opportunities, community and resources available through the Royal College of General Practitioners. If you would like us to visit your VTS to speak with your GP Registrars, we would love to hear from you. Please do get in touch.

North and West London Faculty recently hosted its annual Board Away Day. A great day spent at Browns in Covent Garden with the board focusing on strengthening relationships, building new connections and working together as a team to bring to life the values of the NWL Board. An excellent team building session hosted by Together Collective challenged our board and united them in healthy competition as well as creating openings to learn about our newer members by stepping into roles of detectives and forensic investigators in a tabletop Murder Mystery! A big thanks to Nilesh Bharakhada for chairing the day and all those who attended. NWL look forward to seeing more of you at the next one!

Our Shaping the Future leadership programme is now open for applications. Supported by the London and South East faculties, this 6 month programme is open exclusively for members. Find out more and apply in the link in comments below.

The South East Thames Faculty are hosting a relaxed community lunch for GP parents and carers at Yellowave in Brighton on 6th June ☀️ This is a chance for parents within our GP community to come together, connect, share experiences and enjoy some time outside the usual pressures of work. Lunch will be provided and for anyone who feels like it, the beach volleyball courts will be available afterwards for a casual game. Participation is completely optional. We’d love to see you there! Please see link to register in the comments 👇 *Photo credit: Yellowave Beach Sports Venue & Beach Cafe, Brighton

Creativity can be a simple but powerful way to support your wellbeing. Join us online on 22 May for a relaxed, friendly session as part of Creativity and Wellbeing Week. You’ll be introduced to Graphic Medicine and have a chance to try some easy, creative ways to reflect on positive moments at work, no artistic skills needed at all! It’s a chance to pause, try something different and come away with a few simple ideas to support your wellbeing day to day. Link to register in the comments 👇