Participants

• Dr David McConaghy - Clinical Lead for Prevention, Irish College of GPs; Medical Director, TLC Doc
• Dr John Maher - Host

Summary

We explore an approach to working in the Out of Hours GP (OOHS) setting in Ireland. Dr David shares insights from over 20 years of experience in Ireland and abroad, highlighting the importance of preparation, patient safety, and effective communication. The conversation covers practical advice for newcomers, strategies for managing difficult consultations, and the role of OOHS in supporting both patients and hospital colleagues.

Key themes include the scale of OOHS consultations in Ireland, the importance of slowing down consultations, collaborative working with colleagues, managing requests for controlled drugs and sick certificates, handling house calls and palliative care, and preparing for overnight shifts.

Links

• Irish College of GPs – General Practice Updates
• antibioticprescribing.ie
• HSE Medicines Management Programme – Benzodiazepine Prescribing Guidance
• Palliative Care Guidelines – A Toolkit for COVID 19 Management - HSE
• Roger Neighbour’s Consultation Model
• Oxford Handbook of General Practice – Emergencies Section
• Eolas Medical App

Subscribe, like and review wherever you get your podcasts.
Webpage: https://www.irishcollegeofgps.ie/The-GP-Podcast
Email: podcast@icgp.ie

Participants

• Dr Aoife O'Sullivan - Clinical Lead in Mental Health, Irish College of GPs

• Dr John Maher - Host

Summary

This is part 2 of our discussion on Eating Disorders in Primary Care, based on the Irish College of GPs Eating Disorders GPU, published in December 2025 (link below).

This is the second half of my conversation with Aoife, so please go back and listen to part 1 first, if you haven’t had a chance to listen yet.

Today, Aoife discusses aspects of care including

• An approach to focused examination;

• When to organize additional investigations including bloods, ECG and DEXA;

• When to refer to ED vs specialized eating disorder clinics;

• Overview of Medication options;

• Resources for patients and their families.

Links
Irish College of GPs Website
Eating Disorders: General Practice Update (Irish College of GPs, December 2025)
National Clinical Programme for Eating Disorders Model of Care

Overcoming Binge Eating, Dr Christopher G Fairburn

Links from Part 1

Bodywhys.ie - HSE NCPED Eating Disorders App (Apple/iOS)

Bodywhys.ie – Free PiLaR Programme for Families

Irish Emergency Department Guidelines on Eating Disorders

Specialised Eating Disorder Teams

Eating Disorders Contact Teams

SCOFF Questionnaire – MDCalc.com

Subscribe, like and review wherever you get your podcasts.
Webpage: https://www.irishcollegeofgps.ie/The-GP-Podcast
Email: podcast@icgp.ie

Participants

• Dr Scott Walkin - Clinical Lead for Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control, Irish College of GPs

• Dr John Maher - Host

Summary

In today's episode, we discuss antimicrobial management of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in primary care. We explore the challenges of antibiotic stewardship in Ireland, the importance of accurate diagnosis with an emphasis on history and examination, and the role of dipstick urinalysis. We also cover treatment options, management of recurrence, considerations for particular cohorts such as nursing home residents, and importance of safety netting in patient education.

Acknowledgements

Dr Paul Ryan - GP and Pharmacist
Mala Shah - Chief 2 Antimicrobial Pharmacist, HSE
Dr Robyn Traynor - Clinical Microbiology SpR

Links
Irish College of GPs Website
www.antibioticprescribing.ie
Health Protection Surveillance Centre. Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption in Ireland – Quarterly Report 2025
Antimicrobial consumption dashboard (ESAC-Net) - European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
RESIST newsletter - Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control (AMRIC) Team

📣📣📣 Save the Date!!! 📣📣📣

the Irish College of GPs Annual Conference 2026 will take place on Saturday 25th April at The Radisson Blu St Helens Hotel in Dublin.

Programme details will be announced shortly. Join us there!

Please tap here to check for updates