Talking General Practice

In this special bonus episode, sponsored by Symprove, GPonline editor Emma Bower speaks to Professor Simon Gaisford, Professor of Pharmaceutics at University College London, about the science behind the gut microbiome and the clinical evidence for probiotics.

Simon explains what dysbiosis is and how gut flora imbalances may be linked to broader health conditions, including neurological diseases like Parkinson’s. He explains the differences between solid and liquid probiotic formulations and what the current scientific evidence actually tells us.

Simon also discusses practical advice for primary care, including how GPs can counsel patients who ask about probiotics, how to best support gut health when prescribing antibiotics, and what emerging research reveals about managing gut health in specific patient populations.

This episode was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links
Symprove Professionals | Published Research

The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of Symprove.

About Symprove
This episode of Talking General Practice has been supported by Symprove. Based on an external survey, Symprove was the number one probiotic recommended by gastroenterologists, dietitians and GPs. The unique water-based solution delivers live bacteria to the colon and is proven in randomised controlled trials by leading institutions. 92% of people report a benefit within 12 weeks in real-world.

Healthcare professionals can trial Symprove for free. Visit professionals.symprove.com and sign up for a virtual meeting to hear more about the research behind Symprove and get your free 12-week pack.

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Emma and Nick discuss the government’s evidence to the Doctors and Dentists Review Body and what it had to say about the pay rise GPs should receive next year - and look at how the budget might affect general practice.

They talk about health and social care secretary Yvette Cooper’s first appearance in front of the health and social care committee since she took on the role - and what she had to say about the NHS workforce plan, neighbourhoods and the abolition of NHS England. And discuss a report from the National Audit Office about the impact recent cuts to ICBs have had.

They also look ahead to the England LMCs’ conference later this month and the issues that GP leaders will be debating and what this tells us about the profession’s big concerns at the moment.

Our good news story this week is about the GP winners of the RCGP Research Paper of the Year awards and GPs and their teams who have been recognised for improving end of life care in the RCGP/Marie Curie Daffodil Standards Awards.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and deputy editor Nick Bostock. It was produced by Czarina Deen.

Useful links
Government plans 2.4% pay rise for GPs in 2027/28
Budget minimum wage rise and tax changes threaten extra pressure on GPs
GPs in talks over taking control of hospital outpatient budget
Watchdog flags deep concern over ICB reforms
RCGP Research Paper of the Year winners announced
General practice teams recognised for improving end-of-life care

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GPonline is the media partner for the RCGP annual conference and this is a special episode from a very packed event in Glasgow this week.
Emma looks at what RCGP president Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown said in her first speech to the conference as president.
She speaks to vice presidents Dr Margaret Ikpoh and Dr Thomas Patel-Campbell about whether there is a bright future for general practice, how to protect GPs from burnout and art in medicine.
Emma also talks to vice presidents Dr Munro Stewart and Dr Jamie Hynes about how AI is likely to change general practice and the RCGP’s role in supporting safe implementation of new technology.
And she speaks to the outgoing RCGP Scotland chair Dr Chris Provan about his time in the post and some of the college’s work north of the border, including the college’s Value of a GP report. It was produced by Czarina Deen
You can find all of GPonline’s coverage from this week’s conference at https://www.gponline.com/rcgp
Supported by MDDUS
This episode of Talking General Practice is supported by MDDUS. For more than 120 years, MDDUS has supported doctors with medico-legal expertise, professional indemnity and dedicated member support. From complaints and claims to ethical and professional challenges, their experts help doctors practise with confidence. Visit mddus.com to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma speaks to Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, president of the Royal College of GPs, ahead of the college’s annual conference in Glasgow this week.
GPonline is the media partner for the RCGP annual conference and this is the first of two episodes that we’ll be producing from the event this week.
In this episode, Victoria discusses the college’s first State of General Practice report, which was published this week, and the stark gap between government ambitions to shift care into the community and the reality of frontline capacity, funding, and GP retention.
She explains why access targets must not come at the expense of continuity of care, why GP leadership remains vital on ICB boards, and discusses the safeguards needed around neighbourhood working, the single patient record, and AI.
Victoria also talks about the college’s plans to strengthen research within general practice, what she hopes to convey to delegates in her first conference speech as president, and what gives her optimism for the future of the profession.
This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower. It was produced by Czarina Deen.
Read all of GPonline’s coverage from the RCGP annual conference this week at https://www.gpponline.com/rcgp

Supported by MDDUS
This episode of Talking General Practice is supported by MDDUS. For more than 120 years, MDDUS has supported doctors with medico-legal expertise, professional indemnity and dedicated member support. From complaints and claims to ethical and professional challenges, their experts help doctors practise with confidence. Visit mddus.com to learn more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Emma speaks to Professor Andy Brooks and Dr Liam Loftus from the National Association of Primary Care, about the drive towards neighbourhood health and what it means for general practice. Andy is the NAPC’s clinical chair and Liam is head of policy at the organisation.

Andy and Liam share insights from NAPC’s work supporting sites in the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, and explain why local relationships, trust, and leadership matter far more than new neighbourhood contracts.

They also discuss concerns around proposed multi-neighbourhood providers, why general practice must form the foundation of neighbourhood working, and how to protect continuity of care and provide practical advice on what practices can do right now to get started.

This episode was presented by GPonline editor Emma Bower and was produced by Czarina Deen.

You can watch a video with more practical advice from this interview on how practices and PCNs can make the most of neighbourhoods on our GP Business website here - you will need to register for the site to watch the video, or use your GPonline login if you have one.

Useful links
NAPC website
Viewpoint: Neighbourhood contracts bring risk - but also opportunity for GPs
Neighbourhood contracts risk imposing form over function, warns NAPC
Hospital deficits block funding shift to neighbourhoods, NHS official admits

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