So now we move into 2012, the Chinese year of the Dragon, which is considered to be the luckiest year of the Chinese zodiac, the London Olympics, which will descend on the capital in July and the end of the Mayan calendar, which many believe symbolises the end of the world as we know it. January’s chart sees cosmetic surgery entering at the top, with the closely linked topic of health policy and public health taking the second and third spots. Both obesity and nutrition have fallen out of the top ten. A small gaggle of re-entries have produced some interesting additions to the chart including GP services, depression and superbugs.

If the Aurora top 20 has been forwarded to you by a friend or colleague and you would like to receive your own copy click here.

This month   Last month Topic Cosmetic surgery Health policy Public health NHS service issues NHS staff / recruitment issues NHS budget issues Research Fertility / IVF Social care Market information

This month   Last month Topic Obesity Nutrition GP services Depression NHS trust performance Breast cancer Care Quality Commission Superbugs Smoking Mental health

 

 
The biggest health story throughout January pushed cosmetic surgery to the number one spot this month. In early January it was reported that thousands of women across the UK have received faulty breast implants made by the French company Poly Implants Protheses (PIP). The PIP implants were made with an unstable form of silicone, which has led to the rupture of many implants, causing considerable pain and the need for surgical intervention for those women affected.

Following the news, it was announced that many private companies have not agreed to remove the implants from women free of charge despite the government stating that private clinics have a ‘moral duty’ to remove them. Mel Braham, Harley Medical Group, however, has said that the company simply doesn’t have the resources and will not foot the bill. To help ease this pressure, the NHS has stated that it would remove implants received through the NHS for women whose doctor decides there is a clinical need, or in the case that a private clinic no longer exists or refuses to help. We here at Aurora are always interested in what you have to think. Why not tell us your thoughts by commenting below? 
 
A re-entry at number 14 saw depression entering the charts with some interesting stories. We learned that the number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased by 28% from 34 million in 2007-08 to 43.4 million in 2010-11, according to the NHS Information Centre. Interestingly, we have previously blogged about therapies for depression back in 2009. We noted that more people were experiencing depression due to the recession, and as the recession hasn’t eased up, the 28% increase could be reflective of that.  

In further news, a scientist from Imperial College, London, has carried out two studies using the active ingredient from magic mushrooms, psilocybin, to test its effectiveness in combating depression. One of the two studies was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this month. It showed that psilocybin decreased activity in various brain areas and that greater decreases in activity were linked to more intense effects of the compound. It is the intense effects that alter the state of consciousness, which may be able to unlock positive memories in depressed patients.
  
Despite slipping from the Top 20 in January, alcohol managed to help Public Health keep its number three chart position. This month, the government’s Science and Technology Select Committee has recommended that drinkers should have two alcohol-free days every week. This follows their conclusion that existing guidelines give a false impression of acceptable levels of alcohol intake. Current guidelines stipulate three units a day for women and four units for men is ok; this is the equivalent of a large glass of wine or less than two pints of beer. The committee has stated that this advice is confusing and could lead people to believe that having three or four units of alcohol a day may be beneficial to their health.

And finally, the New Year has seen a resurgence of a very eye-catching story. Until now we have had to rely on setting numerous alarms on our phones to remind us to take medication. If you forget to set that little alarm, the chances are that you’ll have missed a dose, a nuisance to us all. However, to combat this, a new “smart” pill could be available in the UK this year. A tiny, edible, microchip records precise details of medication programmes through a monitoring “receiver” patch attached to a patient’s shoulder or arm. Medical experts believe that the device could revolutionise the way patients take drugs by monitoring how and when patients have taken a treatment and when they need their next dose.
  
2012 already looks set to be full of amazing advances in healthcare. We at Aurora are definitely looking forward to it….
 
Have you enjoyed reading this email? If yes, why not forward to a friend? 

Aurora strives to apply quantitative, qualitative and emotional understanding of health issues to client communication programmes. Dove-tailing informed PR activity with the media’s appetite enables us to assist clients with communicating their vision.

The top 20 chart provides our interpretative snap-shot of health stories in the national press and is based upon a quantitative process. Analysis based on news from the 26 December 2011 to 25 January 2012.

My immediate thought was, “What, they don’t find a cure for leprosy?” What she was probably referring to was the family tragedy, which was the main focus of the story – my scientific curiosity had taken over when reading this book.

My knowledge of leprosy before reading this book was limited; I knew it was passed on by close contact; it caused skin deformities and featured very heavily in the Old Testament (Religious Education GCSE exam flashback). I had no idea how this disease was currently treated and thought it had been eradicated along with small pox.

I was ashamed by my lack of knowledge, so I did a bit of research…

Leprosy key facts:

• Caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium leprae)
• Symptoms can take years to appear (because the bacteria grows slowly) and predominantly effects the nerves and skin
• Transmitted by those who are infected with M. leprae via droplets from the nose and mouth
• Treated with multi-drug therapy (MDT), consisting of three antibacterial drugs: dapsone, rifampicin, and clofazimine. To date, there has been no resistance seen to MDT

The disease is, in many areas of the world, on its way to being eradicated due to MDT. According to WHO, leprosy has been eliminated from 119 countries out of 122 countries where the disease was considered as a public health problem in 1985. This is because MDT was first provided free of charge by the Nippon Foundation, a Japanese drug fund, and then through drug donation from Novartis, the main MDT manufacturers.

Leprosy is, however, still a big problem in many areas of the world including Brazil and India. There is still a certain stigma surrounding leprosy, which stems from historic prejudices – the first known written mention of leprosy is dated 600 BC.

It is not seen as a high profile, disease of poverty, like HIV or tuberculosis even though it has been around for thousands of years longer (HIV was only discovered in the 1980’s). We seem to be making headway in breaking the stigma surrounding HIV, but I don’t think the same can be said for leprosy. And it is the stigma attached to it that, according to the WHO, is stopping people self-reporting and coming forward to be treated. Attitudes and behaviour towards leprosy need to change at both global and local levels because if the disease is treated early, it can be cured. I think leprosy needs one mighty global disease awareness campaign!

The book provided a completely different perspective on a very destructive disease. The characters may have been fictional and the treatment issues just an underlying subplot, but for me it totally broke the stigma surrounding leprosy.

With only 18 days until Christmas, here’s a snap shot of the festive decortations in the Aurora offices.

Sarah (aka handbaglady), we wish you all the best and we look forward to seeing the little one in the New Year.

And a big thank you of course for the delicious cakes!

Created by Farringdon office workers from the contents of the stationery cupboard, these two Post-it note window designs have caught our attention this week and helped brightened up our day.

Thinking outside the box, that’s what we like here at Aurora.

For more multicoloured sticky note based fun, and for information on the origin of this office-based arts and craft revolution, why not have a read of this this piece on The Guardian Website, or have a look at more art on the official POST-IT® WAR website.

Now, where did I leave those Post-its…

Headlines in November have been splashed with stories about finance issues. We have witnessed the resignation of two prime ministers amid financial pressures between Greece and Italy and the European Union. In the meantime, strikes are taking place at hospitals, schools, transportation and local governments due to funding cuts. The world of healthcare is not immune either and NHS performance issues and Health policy still maintain the top two positions since October. This month’s highest climber is NHS staff issues, coming amidst the planned strikes at the end of the month; it made its way up to fourth place, 10 places up from last month. 

If the Aurora top 20 has been forwarded to you by a friend or colleague and you would like to receive your own copy click here.

This month   Last month Topic NHS performance issues Health policy Cancer NHS staff issues Heart attack Obesity Alcohol Nutrition Diet / weight loss Breast cancer

This month   Last month Topic Maternity services Social / elderly care Patient groups Mental health Depression NICE Stroke HIV / AIDS NHS budget / finance issues Influenza

Influenza made a re-entry back into the Top 20, this comes as no surprise as we enter the winter months, despite the fact that we have thoroughly enjoyed a lovely mild November with the cold coming very, very late. Great news for all is that a vaccine that offers lifelong protection against all strains of flu is on its way. This comes as a report shows that the demand for flu jabs is at an all-time high, with nearly half of British parents requesting flu vaccines for their children. 

If only NHS staff were as concerned as some parents about the flu. Earlier this month the Health Secretary stated that seven out of 10 NHS staff have yet to be vaccinated against flu, thereby putting patients at risk due to the possibility of staff shortages during the coming winter months. Continuing with NHS staff, there has been a number of arrests and investigations into the qualifications of some NHS workers in September, NHS staff issues have climbed their way into the number four spot this month, a 10 place jump from 14th in October. Another report published this month that shows four in 10 nursing staff at some hospitals are actually untrained healthcare assistants.   

Recent advances in cardiology have meant that heart attack patients have a better outlook for the future. A study found that a key element in garlic releases a protective compound that can protect victims of heart disease from further damage. While another interesting study found that visiting a dentist to get your teeth cleaned lowers your risk of heart attack by 24%. A breakthrough at the Queen Mary University, London, could mean a simple test can predict when heart attacks and strokes caused by high blood pressure will strike. Meanwhile, The Office of National Statistics reported that the number of heart attacks and strokes has reduced while the Department of Health revealed that the figure of people dying from heart attacks and strokes has dropped by two-fifths over the past decade. Maybe these reports show the effects of previous advances or perhaps the effect of the smoking ban? In the meantime, however, make sure you add garlic to your dinner and book an appointment with your dentist.   

And finally, as we approach the holidays and Christmas season, the news offers some insight in to why we feel so tired after a huge Christmas meal. It all starts when your body begins to digest that delicious turkey along with the other accompaniments such as stuffing and brussels sprouts. Glucose in food activates insulin, which in turn affects amino acid uptake. Tryptophan (a type of amino acid) is left in the blood to travel to the brain where it is converted to serotonin and then into melatonin, which results in sleepiness. According to many researchers, turkey is rich in tryptophan so you have a valid biochemical excuse for falling asleep in front of the TV.   

Have you enjoyed reading this email? If yes, why not forward to a friend?  

Aurora strives to apply quantitative, qualitative and emotional understanding of health issues to client communication programmes. Dove-tailing informed PR activity with the media’s appetite enables us to assist clients with communicating their vision.       

The top 20 chart provides our interpretative snap-shot of health stories in the national press and is based upon a quantitative process. Analysis based on news from the 26 October to 25 November. 

We have set aside time every Thursday evening in order to trial a local pub. From each one, we will then rate, on a scale of one to five, the:
• Atmosphere
• Selection of drinks
• Bar food
• Pricing – £ = good value, £££££ = extortionate

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of visiting the Wilmington Arms, just off Exmouth market. With a very relaxed atmosphere and chilled out bar staff, this was a very welcoming pub. Spacious and grand, wooden floorboards and a mish-mash of quirky, seemingly salvaged furniture made for a very enjoyable evening.

Whilst we didn’t try the food, chips served by the pint did look very tempting and fairly reasonably priced. There was quite a wide selection of beverages available, with a choice of three ales for all you ale drinkers at around £3.90 a pint.

All in all we would give the Wilmington Arms:
4/5 – Atmosphere
4/5 – Selection of drinks
3/5 – Bar food
£££ – Pricing

Prior to the Wilmington Arms we have visited:

The Green was a business pub with lots of suits. The atmosphere wasn’t really what you would like from a pub and there wasn’t a huge selection of drinks, but the food was delicious.

2/5 – Atmosphere
2/5 – Selection of drinks
4/5 – Bar food
££££ – Pricing

The Coach and Horses is situated a mere two minutes from our place of work, so great for post work drinks and with heated outdoor benches even on a chilly evening we could all sit outside. There were some very interesting drinks behind the bar, including some vodka from Kazakhstan, which was very intriguing. The food, I have been told, is very nice and not too expensive either.

4/5 – Atmosphere
5/5 – Selection of drinks
3/5 – Bar food
£££ – Pricing

The Jerusalem Tavern, is quite possibly, the quirkiest pub I have ever stepped foot in. Whilst it is very small, there is always an overflow of people on the street. Despite the sheer volume of people, there is never really a long wait for the bar where they serve house beers and ale. Sadly they lack a little on the food front, but the atmosphere makes up for any short comings.

5/5 – Atmosphere
5/5 – Selection of drinks
2/5 – Bar food
£££ – Pricing

The Betsy Trotswood made perfect sense for our first adventure into the land of pub reviewing. It is a one minute walk from our work and is always welcoming with a very warm atmosphere inside and benches outside for those hardy enough to handle the evening chill. There are a fair few drinks choices and the food is definitely worth a try.

5/5 – Atmosphere
3/5 – Selection of drinks
4/5 – Bar food
£££ – Pricing

So our number one choice so far is the The Jerusalem Tavern.

Pop by and we’d be happy to take you for a pint or two on a Thursday meeting.

Here at Aurora we have been following the progress of this bill very closely. As well as being passionate about all things healthcare, we ourselves are service users, patients and carers. As the White Paper was being passed from Commons to Lords, Professor Steve Field and The Future Forum were undertaking the second phase of the listening exercise. As opposed to phase one, which focused more on structure, roles and responsibilities within the ‘new’ NHS, the second phase was about engaging with patients, service users and professionals on issues of:

• How to develop information that improves health, care and wellbeing
• How to educate and train the healthcare workforce to deliver world-class healthcare
• How to better integrate services around people’s needs
• How to ensure the public’s health remains at the heart of the NHS

At Aurora, we strongly believe that the NHS is the jewel in the British crown and it needs to be treated and revered as such. We are exceptionally lucky to have access to such a public service and therefore we could not let the second listening phase pass without expressing our thoughts and opinions.

How did we do this? Well, using a slide deck developed by the Department of Health (DH) and downloadable from the DH website, the agency sat down and held our own listening event, working through the questions that were divided up into the four categories listed above. While the slide deck was possibly not the most user friendly PowerPoint presentation in the world (responses on the website tended to agree with us on this), it did provide a spring board for some interesting debate and discussion. Sadly, we were not able to answer all the questions as some of them required an intimate knowledge and understanding of, say, the current state of integrated social and health care. However, we collated all our remaining thoughts and responses in the dedicated feedback form and submitted this to the DH.

While we very much appreciate the DH wanting to listen to the general public, a lot of us questioned how they had gone about this. An automated ‘thank you’ email upon submission of our feedback form would have been a polite gesture. As well as providing the slide deck, the DH held a ‘series’ of listening events across the country. In fact, most of the listening events were aimed at community healthcare professionals and there were only two listening events for patients and the public – one in Leeds and one in London, both in the middle of the day on a weekday. Even with the best will in the world, not everyone with something to contribute could have dropped their work and/or families to participate.

Our solution, our proposal

This prompted the following question – if the DH employed us, Aurora, to undertake a true public listening exercise focused exclusively on patients and the public, how would we go about this?

Well, firstly it has to be informative and engaging enough to rouse public interest, it also has to be on a very public platform and public participation/feedback is essential for success. Cue…. the televised discussion/quiz show ‘Your health, Your NHS, Your Say’ (a working title).

If you think of a cross between ‘Big fat quiz of the year’ and the televised electoral debates, add a mixture of celebrity panellists, some professional group representation (RCGP, BMA, RCN), NHS staff of various disciplines, DH politicians and of course public participation, then you are on the right lines. Organised by the DH and hosted by well-loved television presenters such as Phillip Schofield and Fern Britton, these panellists would debate the key points in each of the four major topics up for discussion (information, education and training, integrated care and public health), help the general public understand the proposed changes taking place to the NHS and stimulate and request audience participation/feedback.

The celebrities would be carefully chosen to appeal to different demographics to ensure that as many people from across the UK tuned in and participated. These panellists would also be chosen because they promote healthy and active lifestyles such as Jamie Oliver, Sue Barker, Davina McCall, Gary Lineker as well as well-known 2012 UK athletes like Victoria Pendleton, Chris Hoy, Rebecca Adlington and Amir Khan.

If the quiz is held on commercial channel, the programme could be sponsored by a healthy-living 2012 Olympics sponsor such as Adidas, which would provide funding for the programme. Healthy-living adverts could also be shown in the breaks, providing an additional revenue stream.

To unite online and offline discussion, the TV show would have a dedicated webpage on the broadcaster’s website with a live, online discussion board running simultaneously. Questions posted on this discussion board, together with Twitter feed questions, would be passed to the presenters and be incorporated in the broader discussion.

To say that we were very excited about this idea is a complete understatement. We came barrelling out of the meeting convinced this would be a success, desperate to pitch the idea to the DH and someone even started humming the theme tune! So, Professor Field, if you are really listening and you like our thinking, please give us a call and we would be delighted to help you.

A delicious snapshot of lunch time at Exmouth market, which is right next door to our office.

Mmmmm-mmmm! :+)