What’s New in Primary Care? The Hot Topics GP Update Autumn ’26 Preview!

We hope you’ve had a great summer, with at least a little time in your busy lives to relax and unwind. But the evenings are drawing in, the leaves are about to turn and ‘back to school’ is upon us. That can only mean one thing - Hot Topics is back!

As ever, our presentations will be short, focused and clinically relevant with plenty of time for interaction and Q&A. At a time when AI is reshaping so much of modern life, we remain passionate about medical education that is human-generated and peer-delivered, by practising NHS GPs who understand the daily realities of primary care. We focus on what really matters: balancing the latest research evidence and guideline recommendations with the pragmatism required in today’s stretched NHS.

We believe this is the most up-to-date and clinically focused GP update course available. It comes with our comprehensive Hot Topics coursebook, your practical, evidence-based manual for the year ahead, in both digital and printed formats. The programme is also packed with Quality Improvement ideas to support your CPD and help translate learning into meaningful change in your practice.

So, what shall we be covering this autumn?

Cardiometabolic medicine

Resistant hypertension
Your patient is seemingly on optimal triple therapy, but their BP is still above target. What next? We look at the latest evidence and guidelines for managing resistant hypertension.

Chronic heart failure
We have a new NICE guideline on chronic heart failure, the first major update for eight years. The evidence base has changed enormously, particularly for heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction. What does the new guidance mean for primary care management?

Type 2 diabetes
Early-onset type 2 diabetes is increasing and is given special prominence in the new 2026 NICE guideline because of its particularly high risk. But how is it defined, and how should we manage it?

Weight-loss medications
As tirzepatide prescribing moves into primary care, we review the latest evidence GPs need to know, including longer-term adverse effects and strategies to minimise rebound weight gain. And what might be the future role of orforglipron, the new oral GLP-1 therapy recently licensed in the UK by the MHRA?

Women’s health

Menopause and breast cancer
Menopausal symptoms are extremely common in women with breast cancer and can have a major impact on quality of life. What can we safely and effectively offer? We review the latest evidence for non-hormonal treatments for vasomotor symptoms, including fezolinetant, now recommended by NICE for women in whom conventional HRT is contraindicated.

Polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome
A new (and much more appropriate!) name, together with new guidelines, for the condition formerly known as PCOS. What has changed, and why does it matter?

Mental health

Antidepressants
We prescribe them every day, but important new evidence is emerging about potential harms and antidepressant withdrawal. We look at what GPs need to know and how this should influence everyday prescribing.

Cancer

Ovarian cancer
The new 2026 NICE guideline includes a significant change in how we use CA-125 testing. We explore the evidence behind the change and, importantly, what it means for everyday practice.

Prostate cancer
Is there any screening topic more controversial? Should men receive a PSA test on request? Is a family history of breast cancer relevant to a request for a PSA test? We cut through the noise, review the 2026 UK National Screening Committee recommendations on targeted screening, and consider the importance of family history in testing decisions, not only of prostate cancer, but also of breast and ovarian cancer.

Asthma

Last year we discussed the major changes in the BTS/NICE/SIGN guideline for adults, but what about asthma management in children? Should we continue with SABA + ICS or switch to combination AIR therapy? And what is the best way to monitor asthma: symptoms, blood eosinophils or both?

Older people

Frailty
How should we assess and manage frailty in older people, particularly when it comes to prescribing? We review new research and UK guidance with practical messages that could change your practice – in a good way!

And plenty more Hot Topics…

Based on the latest papers and guidelines, we’ll present a range of other cases, including:

• How not to miss GCA
• Investigating urticaria
• When to refer children with lymphadenopathy
• Ketamine-induced cystitis
• An update on restless legs syndrome

That’s just a taste of what we’ll be covering. As always, our aim is simple: to sift through the latest evidence and guidelines, identify what really matters for primary care and help you put it into practice.

Thanks for reading, and we hope to see you on the new Autumn 2026 Hot Topics GP Update course very soon!

Simon and the NB Medical GP Team