No one can have failed to notice the sudden surge in measles cases currently happening in Wales.  BBC reports put the latest number of cases at over 800 in the current outbreak in the Swansea area, with the death of a young man also being potentially linked to measles.  

So who is to blame for the outbreak?  And to what extent has the media played a role? 

Whether you are fundraising, holding events, campaigning or developing services, engaging effectively with your stakeholders can help you improve your work.  It is an important part of corporate social responsibility and organisations are increasingly expected to involve stakeholders in decision-making.  Stakeholder buy-in is essential for the success of modern organisations.

Want to know what health issue you should be supporting at any one time?  Are you planning on launching a new health awareness campaign or event?  Are you just wondering what all those pink/blue/yellow balloons/wrist bands/t-shirts are all about?  Well, to help you keep up, here's a list of this year's health awareness dates.  

After reading a health news story the other day in which a condition was referred to as ‘the silent killer’, I wondered just how many other health conditions are also given this alarming title.  

I was recently asked what might seem like an obvious question.  A question that you might think would be on the forefront of every health researchers mind:  How often do you think about how your research might reach and impact the general public?

I’m often asked these questions and why they are important.  It seems that while many organisations can clearly see the need for public affairs, campaigning and communications functions (the ‘action’ end of things!), some don’t necessarily recognise the value of investing time and resources in rigorous policy development (the hidden work needed behind the action!).  I thought I would take a moment to explain the role of policy development and why having a robust evidence base is vital.

Or as I saw in a recent headline ‘mobile phones still aren’t killing people’…!

The presence of two or more co-existing health conditions, known as comorbidities, in patients is common.  Most of us can think of someone we know, if not ourselves, who suffer from multiple health conditions.  Think of an elderly relative, for example, who may well have arthritis, along with diabetes and the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.  

You'd be forgiven for thinking this is the case, every morning the radio news leads with a scientific study and newspapers have massively increased their science coverage.  All good news, but what has changed?  Are the latest discoveries bigger or better than those of the last century?  Or are the public more interested in science?

I know the public must get frustrated because every week there is exciting new breast cancer research published and while each study is another piece in the jigsaw of understanding breast cancer, once in a while a study comes along which has the potential to change all aspects of breast cancer.