This week I’ve been working with the Frontline magazine team as the newest reporter, or, more accurately, work experience "girl". My first report was on an event at the University of Keele.
Nadine Foster was appointed Professor of Musculoskeletal Health in Primary Care, and delivered the traditional inaugural lecture to invited colleagues, friends, family and the public who are invited to all inaugural lectures via a notice in the local newspaper.
The lecture, entitled Challenges and Choice: Musculoskeletal Health in Primary Care, gave an overview of current research interwoven with highlights from Nadine’s journey from first-class honours at the University of Ulster to professor in less than 20 years.
Many of the people who supported and inspired her were in the audience, adding another dimension to a great event. Nadine is an excellent role model for up-and-coming researchers. I reflected some of this story in my piece for Frontline, managing to meet the difficult 250 word limit as well.
Ann Green joins Frontline magazine managing editor Lynn Eaton to work on the new issue
Before I filed my raw copy, Frontline managing editor Lynn Eaton sat down to offer feedback. Her advice was very useful... resulting in me completely rewriting the article in a more active and objective style! I have filed my story with news editor Gary Henson. The story is online now, and I hope it makes the final cut for print.
My few days with the Frontline team highlighted the pressures and tensions that come with producing a newsworthy publication on a fortnightly basis; a publication that’s on-message but doesn’t read like a dreary policy document. I joined the daily Ten at Ten editorial meetings where breaking stories are discussed and tasks are assigned. I also spent time with designer Tristan Reignier, going through the planning and layout of each issue.
The Frontline team are lively, friendly and well-informed so my work experience has been fun and enlightening. Today I have been given a feature to research: ‘Keeping Active in Amsterdam’, for readers who are going to the World Confederation for Physical Therapy congress in Holland. In the office I’ll be sure to make the teas too. Essential for a work experience recruit who is trying to impress!
Before I get down to my feature I’m off to the House of Commons with CSP CEO Phil Gray and CSP Director of Employment Relations and Union Services, Lesley Mercer, to meet Shadow Health Minister John Healey.
We have a short allocated slot in his busy diary, so we’re concentrating on a few key issues: the Health and Social Care Bill, ‘Any Willing Provider’, our concerns about competition and fragmentation of services, and opportunities for physiotherapy to provide cost-effective solutions to benefit patients.
With the publication of the Health and Social Care Bill, which goes to second reading in the Commons next week, the CSP’s Public Affairs team have been working to distil the contents and produce a user-friendly guide.
The CSP is very concerned that many of the proposals will have a negative impact on patients.
So I hope members in England will help raise our concerns by writing to their constituency MPs as a matter of urgency this week.
We have a sample letter that you can use and an easy new system so you can email your MP is just two minutes. Let’s ensure our voices are heard.
- Ann
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