Urgent Bite 281 – Thinking about sparkler related eye injuries
Sparklers are a common, handheld firework that are popular with all ages, especially children. As they are held in front of your face, can they cause eye injuries?
Urgent Bite 280 – A Poke in the Eye
We must be thorough in reviewing patients who have had direct trauma to their eyes. Objects that are small enough that the orbit provides no protection are of increased concern. In addition to other injuries, we need to be aware of orbital floor fractures and commotio retinae.
Urgent Bite 279 – Pisa Syndrome
Pisa syndrome is rare, but identifiable in urgent care and associated with drugs we will commonly see. It is a reversible condition. It highlights the importance of a full drug history and to consider medications as causes of strange symptoms.
Introduction to Māori health
The College has endorsed an online course from Taikura that offers an introduction to Māori health Taikura offer a 4-hour online introductory course to Māori health, created by Dr Elana Curtis, that has been endorsed as a CPD activity. The introductory course offers the following learning objectives: Explore your understandings of traditional and contemporary Māori…
Goodfellow Symposium 2026
Registrations for the Goodfellow Symposium 2026 are now open. It will be on the weekend of March 21 and 22, 2025. For the urgent care stream, we have some fantastic talks. Dr Paul Huggan, Infectious disease specialist, will be presenting on sepsis and the new national sepsis pathways. Dr Craig Ellis, Emergency Specialist and Deputy…
Urgent Bite 278 – Ocular Siderosis
We should be aware of the early signs of ocular siderosis, also known as siderosis bulbi which would indicate a retained metallic intraocular foreign body.
DPD update October 2025
For this month’s newsletter, I wish to share a brief review of the Virtual Bootcamp, held on September 13, 2025. History The first Bootcamp was held at the Cordis Hotel in 2019 as a one-day in-person event. The intention was to provide fast-paced, urgent care updates delivered by urgent care clinicians, hence the theme of…
The STUMBL score – with Dr Ceri Battle
Dr Ceri Battle is a Consultant Respiratory Physiotherapist and an Honorary Associate Professor in Swansea.
Ceri’s PHD work led to the creation of the STUMBL score, a tool to help determine the risk of complications for patients with rib fractures.
Urgent Bite 277 – Hypochondriasis
Why is it called hypochondriasis, and why might it benefit our patients to identify cases and ensure proper follow-up and treatment?
Communication CPD – Part 2 – Dr Fiona Moir and Dr Renske van den Brink
Dr Fiona Moir and Dr Renske van den Brink are directors of Connect Communications. They both have a background in General Practice and medical education, and they have extensive experience in teaching communication skills to students and experienced clinicians alike.