Pressman PR

Nottingham Evening Post reader Mrs M Fletcher from Arnold, Notts, was able to cut through the spin of a recent story in the paper and deliver a brilliant response by using the comment feature on the newspaper’s website.

Since the launch of the Nottingham Prostate Clinic last week (see previous blog post) there has been a debate in the newspaper regarding whether or not prostate screening is necessary.

The UK is unique amongst western nations for failing to have routine screening for the disease despite it being a massive killer in men. It’s no surprise then to find that UK fatality rates are much higher than nations who do screen their male populations, such as the USA.

Yet many British GPs are reluctant to screen men for the disease, telling them not to worry unless they have symptoms. This goes against the advice of prostate cancer specialists such as consultants Owen Cole and Duncan Harriss (pictured above) who warn that the presence of symptoms often indicates advanced disease.

In an attempt to balance their coverage of the clinic opening the Evening Post report included comments from a GP, Dr Greg Place, who trotted out the old line that it was best not to test unless there were symptoms.

We responded with a statement outlining the above which the Post ran last Friday.

But it was Post reader Mrs M Fletcher, from Arnold, who tore through Dr Place’s arguement with the following comment: “I would like to add my support to the new Prostate cancer clinic. Sixteen months ago my husband was succesfully treated by Mr Harriss, he went for a routine PSA test at our GPs surgery because of a family history of prostate cancer.

“His PSA was only very slightly raised and he had no symptoms but cancer was found and treated. Instead of Dr Place critisising he should be openly encouraging GPs to routinely screen for this disease and help raise awareness. A lot of men do not even know the syptoms or where their prostate is.”

Mrs Fletcher’s comment is a good example of how the web is a fantastic media for news. Before the net a reader would have had to write a letter which may have been published in the paper a week later. Today readers can interact with their newspapers and we can obtain first hand accounts like Mrs Fletcher’s which quickly tell us the real story.