Sleep essentials for GPs: Snoring to Narcolepsy & CBT-I

An informative session for GPs covering the identification and management of common sleep disorders, alongside practical insights into Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia and referral pathways.

Topic 1: From Snoring to Narcolepsy: A GP Approach to Sleep Disorders

Presented by Dr Sameer Karnam, Respiratory & Sleep Physician 

This presentation will provide the GP with basic understanding of common sleep disorders including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), restless legs syndrome (RLS), narcolepsy and insomnia. Discussion will include clinical symptoms of each of the condition, questionnaires used to assist with identifying appropriate patients for testing, investigations used to make diagnosis and management.

Topic 2: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) at Epworth

Presented by Dr Harvey Jones, Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist

This presentation provides key insights into assessing sleep without data, highlights the importance of sleep efficiency and regularity, and outlines Epworth’s approach to treating insomnia. Referral pathways are covered, alongside case examples demonstrating the path from general practice to specialised care.

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Identify patients with sleep disorders
• Outline clinical history-taking and/or questionnaire to aid diagnosis
• Outline appropriate investigations and when to refer to a sleep physician
• List key features for assessing insomnia in a brief consultation.
• Describe the referral pathway from GP to insomnia rehabilitation at Epworth.