Let’s Talk About…
Short, practical resources to support GP trainees with common clinical and professional conversations in general practice.
Let’s Talk About…
Short, practical resources designed to support GP trainees with common clinical and professional conversations in general practice.
Each resource focuses on how to approach challenging topics — including risk, uncertainty, shared decision-making and follow-up — using clear, proportionate explanations grounded in everyday GP practice.
The series is designed for quick reference, independent learning, and use alongside supervision or exam preparation, without replacing clinical judgement or formal guidance.
Let’s Talk About… Cholesterol
This resource supports GP trainees to navigate cholesterol conversations in general practice with clarity, proportion, and confidence.
It focuses on how to explain cardiovascular risk, discuss lifestyle and medication options, and reach shared decisions with patients, rather than on guideline thresholds or biochemical detail. Emphasis is placed on clear risk communication, managing uncertainty, and safe follow-up — reflecting the level of judgement expected in independent practice.
The slide deck can be used for self-directed learning or discussion in supervision. A one-page quick reference is provided as a downloadable aide-memoire for use in clinics.
Let’s Talk About… Medically Unexplained Symptoms
Consultations involving medically unexplained symptoms are common — and often challenging to manage well.
This resource sets out a structured approach to these consultations, focusing on recognising the reality and impact of symptoms, understanding what matters to the patient, and explaining clinical findings clearly where no underlying disease has been identified.
The emphasis is on working with uncertainty, avoiding both dismissal and over-investigation, and developing practical, shared plans that support function and day-to-day life.
Designed for self-directed learning or use in supervision, the slide deck reflects the level of clinical judgement and communication expected for independent practice.
Let’s Talk About… Thyroid Disease
This is a communication-focused resource for GP trainees, exploring how thyroid problems are discussed in everyday general practice. Using a structured, person-centred approach, it covers how to explain common thyroid blood test patterns, introduce new diagnoses, handle subclinical results, talk about treatment and monitoring, and make clear follow-up plans without over-labelling or overcomplicating the consultation.
Like the other resources in the Let’s Talk About… series, the focus is not just on what the diagnosis is, but on how to talk about it well. This includes recognising the patient’s agenda, explaining what a result does and does not show, and matching the explanation and plan to the clinical situation — whether that means treatment, review, dose adjustment, or referral.