{"id":731,"date":"2009-06-26T14:48:14","date_gmt":"2009-06-26T13:48:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/?p=731"},"modified":"2009-06-26T15:50:59","modified_gmt":"2009-06-26T14:50:59","slug":"phil-hilton-on-mens-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmj\/2009\/06\/26\/phil-hilton-on-mens-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Phil Hilton on men’s health"},"content":{"rendered":"

So inevitably as a middle-aged family man with a home in the suburbs of North London I meet health professionals over dinner. \u2018This is Peter, he\u2019s a consultant anaesthetist\u2026\u2019 my host will say and I translate as \u2018This is Peter he\u2019s far more interesting than you and will hold court for the rest of the evening\u2026\u2019<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

It\u2019s obviously absurd to generalise but experienced health practitioners tend to be articulate and entertaining company with fascinating opinions and insights. They\u2019re always intriguing for an evening, impossible to compete with \u00ad at least in our part of North London.<\/p>\n

My contention is that doctors are a hidden communication gem. So hypothetically what would happen if some of these good talkers were exposed to journalists and editors directly that is without the PRs, the press releases, the policy makers and the surveys. Well obviously chaos \u00adinconsistent opinions, inappropriate detail, inconvenient truths would all be unleashed on the hacks.<\/p>\n

But let\u2019s pause before we panic. First what if we set some parameters for a conversation \u00ad off the record will be respected, facts will be checked prior to publication, calls will be made to discover the policies behind the daily experience.<\/p>\n

Could it work?<\/p>\n

The key gain would be that because a doctor\u2019s experience is direct, real and individual it is usually interesting. As editorial director of ShortList<\/a> I receive about 50 press releases a day. If I leave my desk to visit the lavatory there will be five in my inbox.<\/p>\n

They are easy to delete \u00ad the subject box acts like a target for my delete trigger finger. Here\u2019s a random selection from today\u2019s influx \u00ad I\u2019ve been told about the world\u2019s smallest fire hose, Felix Da Housecat\u2019s new album and Oxfam\u2019s presence at Glastonbury.<\/a> What chance does the latest news on alcohol consumption or salt intake stand in this maelstrom of PR?<\/p>\n

However you should see me after my dinner party encounter with a paediatrician or Clinical Psychologist. Hardly has the roast cod been scraped from the dishes, before I\u2019m regaling my team with hot insider tales from the front line.<\/p>\n

First I feel like I\u2019m receiving primary source material \u00ad exclusive, unexpurgated. Second I\u2019ve been given access to anecdotes \u00ad the precious currency of conversation and the heart of every good article. If there\u2019s no anecdote there\u2019s no real story I feel.<\/p>\n

One of the tips I give to my junior writers lost for a good angle on a story, is to imagine they have three minutes in which to entertain a group of slightly tipsy easily bored people in a pub. This works in reverse \u00ad if a story gripped some tipsy middle-class types fiddling with shavings of Parmesan then it can grip anyone.<\/p>\n

So I\u2019m going to try it! I\u2019m going to seek out an informal, agenda-less meeting with someone specialising in an area relevant to my audience (25-45 year old professional men). It will be a sort of dinner party only without any guests or balsamic vinegar.<\/p>\n

Will it simply turn into a meandering rant? Will my finely honed journalistic instincts (what? they are!) plus their training, years of experience and general charm result in a story \u00ad or the start of a story?<\/p>\n

Stay tuned!
\nI\u2019ll report back!<\/p>\n

To find out more about the men’s health debate visit bmj.com<\/a> for a podcast, video and articles.<\/p>\n

Phil Hilton <\/strong>has spent most of his professional career in men’s magazines. He is the former deputy of FHM, editor of Men’s Health and launched Nuts. He is now editorial director of ShortList. He attends a gym everyday, almost never visits the doctor and suffers from severe, masculine hypochondria, a Cinderella condition in urgent need of far more research funding.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So inevitably as a middle-aged family man with a home in the suburbs of North London I meet health professionals over dinner. \u2018This is Peter, he\u2019s a consultant anaesthetist\u2026\u2019 my […]<\/p>\n

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