The interactive workshop, led by a Colorectal Surgeon Dr. Cheung, aims to equip General Practitioners with the essential knowledge and skills for the early recognition, appropriate initial management, and timely referral of common colorectal conditions encountered in primary care. Dr. Cheung will share insights from his specialist practice, including minimally invasive approaches and multidisciplinary care pathways.
Participants will gain enhanced knowledge of common colorectal conditions, develop practical skills in initial assessment and management within primary care, and improve their understanding of when and how to effectively collaborate with colorectal surgeons.
The session will briefly encourage participants to consider a simple audit of their recent colorectal referrals (e.g., for rectal bleeding) to note the referral trigger and the eventual diagnosis and management by the specialist, as a starting point for reflecting on referral appropriateness.
Participants will be briefly prompted to consider a recent case where they managed a colorectal issue and reflect on any feedback they received (from the patient, a colleague, or their own review) and how the information shared by Dr. Cheung might influence their approach in similar future cases.
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:
- Identify key "red flag" symptoms and signs in primary care that warrant urgent consideration of colorectal cancer referral.
- Develop an initial management plan for patients presenting with suspected diverticular disease.
- Recognise the common presenting symptoms and extra-intestinal manifestations of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in primary care.
- Provide appropriate initial management for common anorectal conditions and determine clear indications for referral to a colorectal surgeon.
- Understand the role and limitations of colonoscopy and gastroscopy in the primary care follow-up of colorectal conditions.
- Describe the key aspects of post-operative care for common colorectal surgeries that GPs need to be aware of.
- Appreciate how minimally invasive and robotic surgical approaches might influence referral considerations.
- Utilise clear referral pathways to colorectal specialists for various colorectal conditions.
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