Essential Knowledge Update Programme
An informative online learning tool
designed by GPs for GPs
The Essential Knowledge Update (EKU) programme provides GPs with
a six-monthly focused update on selected items of new and changing
knowledge central to everyday practice. The Updates challenge you
to capture any learning or service needs in your Personal
Development Plan (PDP) and guide you to further reading if you wish
to know more. A clinical scenario is also available allowing you to
demonstrate that you have assimilated, or already knew the
information in the Update item.
Revalidation and Continuing Professional
Development
It is acknowledged within the current RCGP
Revalidation Guide 
that the Essential Knowledge Updates and Challenges are an
acceptable tool to help demonstrate that a GP is updating their
knowledge. Through participating in the Essential Knowledge
Challenge and by studying the associated modules in the
corresponding Knowledge Update, GPs will be able to award
themselves credits under the planned RCGP
CPD credit system . The RCGP is currently in the process of developing an
ePortfolio that will enable GPs to record
their CPD in support of Revalidation.
Visit the Online
Learning Environment to access the latest Essential Knowledge
Updates
Now Released: Essential Knowledge Update
8!
The RCGP has now released the 8th edition of
the Essential Knowledge Update
EKU8 will provide updates on a variety of new and changing
topics in Primary Care, including:
Diagnosis & Assessment of Food Allergy in Children & Young
People,
Generalised Anxiety Disorder & Panic Disorder in Adults.
Chronic Heart Failure: Diagnosis & Management.
Current Management of Herpes Skin Infection in General
Practice.
Management of Atopic Eczema in Primary Care.
Diagnosis, Assessment & Management of Harmful Drinking &
Alcohol Dependence.
Diagnosis & Treatment of Gestational Diabetes.
Treatment of Patients with Medically Unexplained Symptoms.
Essential Knowledge Update
Podcasts!
 |
Podcasts of the Essential Knowledge Updates (from EKU6
onwards) are now available to all EKU users. |
Essential Knowledge Challenges
Take the new Essential
Knowledge Challenge (EKC7) 
- an engaging online test of the latest
knowledge in general practice.
Each Essential Knowledge Challenge
consists of 50 multiple choice questions based on its accompanying
Essential Knowledge Update. EKC7 is based on the content of the 7th
edition of the Essential Knowledge Updates. Once you have completed
the Challenge you will be able print off a certificate to add to
your appraisal folder.
Archiving of Essential Knowledge Update and
Challenge 4
Essential Knowledge Update (EKU) and Essential Knowledge
Challenge (EKC) 4 have now been archived. Archived EKU/C content is
available to all RCGP Members and subscribing Non Members within
the ‘Archived Updates and Challenges’ section of the
Online Learning Environment
.
Accessing the Essential Knowledge Updates and Challenges
The Essential Knowledge Updates and Challenges are
FREE to all RCGP members, Associates, and AiTs as
part of the College membership benefit package. Non RCGP members
can purchase an annual Essential Knowledge Update Programme
subscription (2 Updates and 2 Knowledge Challenges) for
£79. To do so, please follow the steps below:
- Please register with the College here
- Please subscribe to the EKU Programme through the
RCGP Subscriptions website
Following a successful registration/subscription you will
receive a confirmation email. Upon receiving this email please
visit the Online Learning
Environment website and enter your registered email address
and password.
Essential Knowledge Update Programme
Taster
A free taster of
the EKU programme is available to all GPs. The EKU
Taster contains some examples of the Major
Items and Minor Briefings of an Update as well as a small
number of questions from the Knowledge challenge. The
Major Items and Minor Briefings cover new and changing
knowledge relevant to daily general practice, wherever you work in
the UK.
Please note: If you are a non RCGP member you
are required to register
with the College to obtain your log in details for the Online Learning
Environment to access the taster of the EKU programme.
Please visit the EKU
Frequently Asked Questions page for more information on the
Essential Knowledge Updates and Challenges