HealthCert Insights – A Podcast for Doctors, Nurses and Healthcare Professionals

Local anaesthesia in skin cancer surgery: What the evidence says

Local anaesthetic choice and dosing are such a routine part of skin cancer surgery that it’s easy to fall into habit. But with ongoing supply pressures, evolving research, and the increasing volume of procedures performed in primary care, many GPs are now asking: how low can we safely go with lignocaine concentrations, and does dilution actually work? In this episode of Life by A Thousand Cuts, A/Prof Tony Dicker breaks down the evidence on lignocaine dosing, including what the newer data tells us about using lower concentrations in day-to-day skin cancer work. This episode covers: * Why names like lignocaine, lidocaine, Xylocaine, adrenaline, and epinephrine all trace back to the same core agents. * How standard concentrations (1% and 2%, with or without adrenaline) compare with the diluted formulations used in dermatologic surgery. * What the January 2025 Dermatologic Surgery double-blind trial found when comparing 0.25% vs 0.5% lignocaine, and why both were equally effective for pain control, patient satisfaction, and top-ups. * How these findings relate to tumescent anaesthesia in liposuction, where even more dilute solutions still perform reliably. * Practical safety limits, including the importance of avoiding unnecessarily large volumes in primary care and maintaining robust processes if your clinic is diluting local anaesthetic. * Real-world considerations around toxicity, duration of effect, and past adverse events that underline why careful dosing still matters. If you perform skin cancer procedures in general practice, this is a crisp, evidence-focused update on a tool you use every day, with some simple takeaways you can apply immediately.   Prefer a visual format? Watch this podcast here [https://youtu.be/aoGAd052ml0]. Life by a Thousand Cuts  This podcast series is designed to help you enhance your clinical decision-making, procedural skills, and confidence in skin cancer management. Focus on real-world cases, surgical techniques and tips, journal article reviews, diagnostic and management insights, and guest interviews with GPs and specialists. Next steps in your learning journey 🎓  NEW Micro-Course: Introduction to the Dermatoscope Led by A/Prof Tony Dicker, this short course introduces the dermatoscope as the clinician’s key diagnostic tool for skin examination — a practical foundation for those beginning their journey in skin cancer detection. ✅ Learn how to use the dermatoscope and capture clinical images. 🎖️ 9.5 hours CPD  •  Online  •   $195 👉 Learn more & enrol > [https://shop-au.healthcert.com/products/introduction-to-the-dermatoscope]   🎓 Certificate Courses in Skin Cancer Explore our university-assured, structured pathway to elevate your knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer. ➡️ Explore full program [https://www.healthcert.com/certificate-diploma-program-in-skin-cancer-medicine]

Nurse-Melanographer model: Essential insights for GPs & nurses

Managing skin cancer demand in primary care is a challenge, especially with doctor shortages in regional areas. This episode of the HealthCert Insights podcast dives into the Nurse–Melanographer model: a proven approach that expands clinic capacity, improves patient access to skin cancer services, and creates rewarding career pathways for nurses and dermal clinicians. Melanographers are nurses or dermal clinicians trained in dermoscopy and skin cancer detection. They perform skin checks, document lesions, and collaborate closely with doctors, allowing clinics to see more patients efficiently without compromising quality. In this episode, Matt Woollard (a skin cancer clinic operations expert who has built and managed more than 40 skin cancer clinics in Australia over the past 25 years) explains several ways this model works in practice: from Melanographers performing skin checks with doctors onsite, to “tag-team” setups where a Melanographer and GP share appointments. The model not only reduces wait times and eases doctor workloads but also strengthens the clinic’s economics; patients pay fair out-of-pocket costs while doctors can focus on surgical work and complex cases. If you are a nurse interested in specialising in skin cancer, or a clinic owner exploring ways to manage demand, this episode will provide practical insights you can implement immediately.   Next steps in your learning journey 🎓 Micro-Courses in Skin Cancer Explore short, bite-sized CPD modules in focused topics in skin cancer. Complete in less than 10 hours from only $95. ➡️ Micro-Courses for GPs > [https://shop-au.healthcert.com/collections/skin-cancer-medicine]      ➡️ Micro-Courses for nurses > [https://www.healthcert.com/nurses#Skin_cancer_courses]   🎓 Certificate Courses in Skin Cancer Explore our university-assured, structured pathways to elevate your knowledge in the primary care management of skin cancer. ➡️ Skin Cancer pathway for GPs > [https://www.healthcert.com/certificate-diploma-program-in-skin-cancer-medicine]     ➡️ Melanography pathway for nurses > [https://www.healthcert.com/nurses#Melanography_pathway]

When and how to use secondary intention healing under new MBS changes

With recent updates to the MBS now in effect as of 1 November 2025, GPs and skin cancer doctors will notice some important wording changes in the surgical operation item numbers, particularly those relating to excision and repair. In this episode of Life by A Thousand Cuts, A/Prof Tony Dicker explains what these amendments mean in real terms, unpacking the subtle but significant implications for everyday skin cancer surgery. One of the most notable clarifications is the recognition that repairs are “included if performed”, meaning cases managed with healing by secondary intention are now explicitly covered. Through a detailed case study of a basal cell carcinoma near the inner canthus, A/Prof Dicker walks through the full clinical workflow from excision margins and wound care to patient follow-up and histology, illustrating how secondary intention can achieve excellent outcomes in the right anatomical contexts. He also shares practical dressing choices, patient management tips, and key considerations for concave sites such as the inner canthus and conchal bowl, where grafts or flaps may not always be necessary. If you are managing skin cancers in primary care or surgical practice, this discussion offers valuable insight into how legislative nuance translates to patient care and procedural decision-making. Download your quick-reference Medicare Skin Cancer Item Number Guide, updated November 2025 here [https://www.healthcert.com/hubfs/Medicare/Medicare_Skin_Cancer_Item_Number_Descriptor.pdf].   Prefer a visual format? Watch this podcast here [https://youtu.be/VYHV3T9aLTQ]. Life by a Thousand Cuts  This podcast series is designed to help you enhance your clinical decision-making, procedural skills, and confidence in skin cancer management. Focus on real-world cases, surgical techniques and tips, journal article reviews, diagnostic and management insights, and guest interviews with GPs and specialists. Next steps in your learning journey 🎓 Certificate Courses in Skin Cancer Explore our university-assured, structured pathway to elevate your knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer. ➡️ Explore full program [https://www.healthcert.com/certificate-diploma-program-in-skin-cancer-medicine]

Can curettage alone be curative for skin cancer?

In skin cancer surgery, the humble curette is a familiar tool, but how effective is curettage on its own as a definitive treatment? In this episode of Life by a Thousand Cuts, A/Prof Tony Dicker [https://www.instagram.com/drskincancer] takes a closer look at a new study published in Dermatologic Surgery exploring five-year recurrence rates following curettage-only management of keratinocyte carcinomas. In the episode, A/Prof Dicker covers: * How the study was designed and what its limitations tell us about real-world data collection * How recurrence rates after curettage compare with surgery, cautery, and topical therapies * What this means for treatment selection, patient communication, and MBS item use in Australian practice If you have ever wondered whether curettage alone can stand up as a reliable primary treatment option, this episode offers useful insights drawn from recent evidence and practical interpretation.   Watch this episode here [https://youtu.be/1lRkTXCtCEw]. Life by a Thousand Cuts  This podcast series is designed to help you enhance your clinical decision-making, procedural skills, and confidence in skin cancer management. Focus on real-world cases, surgical techniques and tips, journal article reviews, diagnostic and management insights, and guest interviews with GPs and specialists. Next steps in your learning journey 🎓 Certificate Courses in Skin Cancer Explore our university-assured, structured pathway to elevate your knowledge in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer. ➡️ Explore full program [https://www.healthcert.com/certificate-diploma-program-in-skin-cancer-medicine]

Understanding & expanding your scope of practice in aesthetic medicine

Looking to practise responsibly and confidently in aesthetic medicine? In this episode of HealthCert's The Aesthetic Shift podcast series, Kelly Beasy breaks down one of the most important (and often misunderstood) concepts in clinical practice: scope of practice. Whether you are a nurse, nurse practitioner, or doctor, your scope of practice isn’t fixed. It evolves with your education, competence, authority, and clinical context. But defining and maintaining that scope is essential to patient safety, professional integrity, and legal compliance. In the episode, Kelly explores what “scope of practice” really means outside the hospital setting, where roles can vary widely and clinicians often set their own boundaries. She discusses: * Why formal education (not just conferences or observation) matters for safe practice * How to assess your competence, including your ability to manage complications * The importance of medical oversight and team structures that align with your qualifications * Why your scope changes with context,  from rural to city practice, or as your career evolves * The value of mentorship in safely expanding your scope over time Watch this episode here [https://youtu.be/CjjW3QTO_xQ].   Next steps in your learning journey 🎓 Certificate Courses in Aesthetic Medicine Explore our university-assured, structured Professional Diploma pathway to elevate your skills in primary care Aesthetic Medicine. ➡️  Explore full program > [https://www.healthcert.com/certificate-and-diploma-program-in-aesthetic-medicine]