CONTACT:

Ash Communications

Healthcare

Tuesday 23 March 2004

TEL:

+44 (0) 20 7240 6005

 

Appeal To UK Media To Provide Patient Group Details

As Research Highlights Missed Opportunity

… for national skin patient support groups log on to www.skincarecampaign.org …

 

Valuable patient support information that could even save lives is often not reaching people with medical conditions, the Skin Care Campaign (SCC), an umbrella organisation for all UK skin patient support group warned today.   In an analysis of a key information channel – the media – the SCC found that only 12 per cent of coverage mentioned the appropriate patient support group .  

 

Comments Peter Lapsley, chief executive, SCC: “We recognise that the media is generally extremely supportive of patient groups, even though we know its purpose is usually news rather than information provision.  

 

“However, many smaller organisations do not have the people power or funding to promote actively their existence we are issuing this appeal to raise awareness of more general information sources for journalists,” Lapsley explains.  

 

The SCC also polled journalists to see how information provision could be improved.   100 per cent said they relied on the Internet as their main source of information.   In response, SCC is asking journalists to log on to www.skincarecampaign.org when searching for information on any national UK skin disease support group and to register with the media centre to receive targeted updates on news relating to dermatology.   Alternatively a printed directory of all SCC member groups and conditions is available by telephoning: 020 734 5666.

 

NOTES TO EDITOR:

  • www.skincarecampaign.org - provides details of all national UK skin patient support groups, including those with no dedicated Internet presence.
  • www.lmca.org.uk - provides details of mainly of groups supporting people with over 100   long term medical conditions.

 

 

 

…/cont

 

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Nadia Elian, Amy Band or Carys Thomas

 

Ash Communications Healthcare

112 St Martins Lane

London WC2N 4BD

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7240 6005

Fax: +44 (0) 20 7240 8005

 

E-mail   carys@ashcommunications.com

 

 

Media coverage for three dermatological conditions, acne, herpes simplex (cold sores and genital sores) and vitiligo for a period of three months was analysed.   The Acne Support Group (ASG), which has some resource for a proactive relationship with the media achieved some coverage, although 35 per cent of coverage failed to mention the group including several occasions when the ASG had contributed information.

 

Of coverage relating to genital herpes, 20 per cent provided contact details for the Herpes Viruses Association, but for articles discussing cold sores the figure plummets to less than 8 per cent.  

 

None of the coverage of vitiligo mentioned the Vitiligo Support Group, despite its efforts to promote its existence to key media.