Be Healthy Summer 2016 by Think Publishing

SPECIAL REPORT

HOW TO END THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS

The Magazine for the Benenden Community | Summer 2016 Issue 35 | www.benenden.co.uk

Live life well

12 health myths DEBUNKED

! r

IN ta W e-s ISn fiv Nnd iN A N ke O TEweeLOND

Experts reveal the truth behind everyday advice

When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re un Benenden can

Before you call us, visit your GP. We ask you to do this so that we know which of our services you may need. If your GP is referring you to see a consultant or have a test on the NHS, ask the approximate delay you can expect to face and confirm the type of consultant you need to see.

If you are worried by the delay for a diagnosis contact our Member Services Team on 0800 414 8100. It is helpful if you have your membership number to hand so that we can quickly find your record.

VISIT YOUR GP

CALL MEMBER SERVICES

3 4 5 6

LET US HELP

We will ask some questions about your symptoms and the type of tests or consultation your GP has referred you for. Applying discretion means understanding what support you need and how any NHS delay will affect you. We’ll tell you then and there if and how we can help.

YOUR OPTIONS

If you live within a two-hour journey of Benenden Hospital in Kent, you will be expected to have your consultation or tests there. If you live further away, we will use the Bupa network to find three provisional options close to your home. We will pay costs directly for pre-agreed diagnostic services up to the value of £1,500.

CONFIRMING SERVICES

We will send you a letter confirming the services authorised and outlining any limitations. You should not go ahead with any appointments until this written authorisation has been obtained.

THE NEXT STEPS

Our letter will explain what you have to do next to have your consultations and tests. If you are not visiting the Benenden Hospital please ask the hospital you do visit for indicative costs so that you can manage your spend within the £1,500 limit.

USEFUL CONTACT NUMBERS Member Services Team 0800 414 8100* 24/7 GP Advice Line 0800 414 8247* 24/7 Psychological Wellbeing Helpline 0800 414 8247* SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER… • We will pay costs for pre-agreed diagnostic tests and consultations up to the value of £1,500. Ask the hospital for indicative costs so you can manage your spend within the £1,500 limit. • Check the guide to society services for specific details of what your membership covers. • At Benenden, we want to find the best way of supporting every member. * Please note, calls may be recorded for our mutual security and also for training and quality purposes.

SEE INSIDE FOR YOUR GUIDE TO ACCESSING BENENDEN SERVICES

nwell … help

Introduce Benenden and make your friends healthcare happy too £10 M&S vouchers† for every recommendation, plus hamper prize draw

5 MOST TRUSTED HEALTHCARE PROVIDER

FOR THE FIFTH YEAR 2011 - 2015

Pass our personal healthcare benefits onto the people you care about When you recommend Benenden Personal Healthcare to your friends it benefits our whole community Not only can you be happy that we’re helping to look after your friends, colleagues or neighbours health just like your own, you will also be helping us grow our membership community meaning we can help more people, invest more into introducing new services and improve those that already exist.

£10 M&S vouchers† for you and every friend you recommend For every person who joins following your recommendation we’ll give you both £10 M&S vouchers.

Win a delicious hamper†† We have 10 fantastic Orchard Delights food hampers to give away. For every person that joins us based on your recommendation you’ll be entered into our free prize draw to win a basket of gourmet treats including wine, chocolates, preserves and coffee. Remember there is no limit, the more friends that join upon your recommendation, the more times you’ll be entered into the prize draw.

Recommending a friend is as easy as passing on the cards inside this magazine. †£10 M&S vouchers for you and every friend that joins over the phone as a paying member, based on your recommendation, quoting your membership number and the code APRILRAF16 at the point of join. Once the recommended friend joins Benenden they will receive a £10 M&S voucher for joining and you will receive a £10 M&S voucher for recommending. To qualify for the incentive applications must be received between 11th April 2016 and 30th June 2016 and all new members must remain with Benenden beyond the 14 day cooling off period. Vouchers will be sent via post within 52 days of the new member joining. You must be a current member at the point vouchers are sent. Voucher offer applies to people included in this promotional mailing and those you choose to recommend. Referred member must quote your membership number in order for you to receive the vouchers also. You can recommend as many friends, colleagues or neighbours as you like. Offer subject to availability. No alternative to this promotion will be offered. ††For full terms and conditions please visit www.benenden.co.uk/winafreehamper. Membership is available to anyone over the age of 16 who is normally resident in the UK. Some services have a six month qualifying period. Benenden is a trading name of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and its subsidiaries. Benenden personal healthcare is offered by The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, which is an incorporated friendly society, registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, registered number 480F. The Society’s contractual business (the provision of tuberculosis benefit) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The remainder of the Society’s business is undertaken on a discretionary basis. The Society is subject to Prudential Regulation Authority requirements for prudential management. No advice has been given. If in doubt as to the suitability of this product, you should seek independent advice. Registered Office: The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG.

APRILRAF16/JW/03.16

Welcome

It’s always good to be able to report progress within the society and I’m delighted to share with you the fact that 2016 has got off to an encouraging start for Benenden. Not only have we achieved our membership recruitment targets in the first few months of the year, we’ve launched a corporate health insurance product aimed at small to medium enterprises. We believe this will offer smaller The Benenden Hospital businesses the kind of affordable healthcare they development really will have been craving for their staff – but have been be something special unable to find. I’d also like to let you know progress continues on the redevelopment of Benenden Hospital in Kent. While it has been a challenging build, we’re making headway. I encourage you to have a look at the film on Benenden’s YouTube channel showing the latest aerial view of the hospital. Once complete, the development really will be something special for Benenden and its members. Visit www.youtube.com/benendenhospital SIR RANULPH FIENNES In this issue of Be Healthy, I’m delighted we are featuring an The explorer on his dream to raise interview with Norman Lamb, a Liberal Democrat MP and former £20m for charity before he dies health minister. Norman recently called for a cross-party FACT Fiennes amputated his own commission to examine the future of the NHS and social care frostbite-damaged fingers after a system. We wanted you to be among the first to hear what he solo expedition to the North Pole would hope to achieve through the launch of such a politically independent commission. We thank him for taking the time to be interviewed. STEFANIE REID We also have a special focus on mental health, with the real-life The Paralympian on campaigning stories of six people affected by the issue. You will witness our for women and girls in sport, ongoing commitment to this most crucial aspect of healthcare in coping with pressure, and Rio 2016 future editions of the magazine. FACT Reid is married to Canadian Since its launch in January 2016, Be Healthy has generated wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos positive feedback, with many emails and letters sent by members to our team. Thank you for taking the time to let us know your views.

Inside this issue

ALAN AINSLEY The former creative director opens up about his struggle with grief FACT Ainsley’s wife, Louise, was photographed by Rankin during her fight with bone cancer

CHRIS BLOTT; GETTY IMAGES; PAUL STUART; ANGELA CATLIN

Marc Bell Chief Executive Officer, Benenden

Step into summer

PRETTY IN PINK This year’s London MoonWalk, raising money for breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, takes place on 14 May walkthewalk.org

TREE-MENDOUS More than 80 varied walks explore the 200 square mile National Forest during its annual walking festival in May nationalforest.org

MAMMOTH MATCHES The Mammoth Games – a social sports festival in Barnes, London, in July – features netball, dodgeball, Frisbee and more mammothgames.co.uk

Get in touch We’d love to know what you think about this issue. Email us at behealthy@ benenden.co.uk with your thoughts

www.benenden.co.uk 1

Rewards & discounts for all members Claim your rewards & discounts online today

Feel Healthcare Happy with Benenden

Healthcare that gives you more

More for our members

As part of the Benenden community we want to make sure you get the most out of your membership. That’s why we’ve teamed up with like-minded partners to bring you a range of exclusive rewards and discounts specially selected for you and your family.

• 15% off 2XU sports and fitness clothing • 10% off Hoseasons parks and lodges • £40 off delicious meals from Gousto • Free online magazine subscriptions • Save 50% on UK attractions like Alton Towers • 10% off luxury holidays at Cottages.com

To view our range of rewards simply visit the dedicated member section of our website. We’re frequently adding new rewards and discounts so don’t forget to visit regularly, to discover what great offers are available each month.

Find all Benenden discounts & rewards online

www.benenden.co.uk/memberwebsite

Benenden is a trading name of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and its subsidiaries. Benenden Personal Healthcare is offered by The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, which is an incorporated friendly society, registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, registered number 480F. The Society’s contractual business (the provision of tuberculosis benefit) is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. The remainder of the Society’s business is undertaken on a discretionary basis. The Society is subject to Prudential Regulation Authority requirements for prudential management. No advice has been given. If in doubt as to the suitability of this product, you should seek independent advice. Registered Office: The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG AD/BEHEALTHY/JW/03.16

behealthy Published for the Benenden Healthcare Society by Think. This magazine is also available in Braille, large print and on audio CD. Editorial Board Group Marketing Director Lawrence Christensen Head of Communications Paul Keenan Media Relations Manager Neil Barnes Senior Acquisition Manager Natalie Walker Group Head of Marketing Jules Titheridge

s t n e t n o C I became proud of my body. I took ownership again PAGE 30

Benenden Holgate Park Drive, York YO26 4GG Telephone 0800 414 8100* benenden.co.uk

SUMMER 2016

HEALTH CHECK 04 SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW YOUR LIMITS? Tough talking after the government revises its guidelines on alcohol 06 NORMAN LAMB The MP with a mission to reimagine the NHS 08 MY EXPERIENCE Model Katie Piper on life after being scarred in an attack

LIFE

Editor Kathleen Morgan behealthy@benenden.co.uk Contributing Editors Jane Druker, Matthew Rock, Siân Phillips Group Art Director Matthew Ball Designers John Pender, Raymond Francis Sub-editors Sam Bartlett, Kirsty Fortune Editorial Assistant Jonathan McIntosh Advertising Sales Sonal Mistry sonal.mistry@thinkpublishing.co.uk 020 3771 7247 Partnerships Director Helen Rosemier Group Account Director John Innes john.innes@thinkpublishing.co.uk

14 HEALTH MYTHS DEBUNKED The experts separate fact from fiction 21 MENTAL HEALTH FOCUS With one in four of us affected by mental illness, six people tell their story 30 STEFANIE REID The Paralympian reveals how athletics beat medical opinion 36 SIR RANULPH FIENNES The acclaimed expedition leader’s £20m challenge 40 INSIDE STORY Meet Benenden’s chief radiographer

Produced for Benenden by Think 8th Floor, Capital House, 25 Chapel Street, London NW1 5DH 020 3771 7200 thinkpublishing.co.uk

YOUR BENENDEN

© Benenden Healthcare Society. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is strictly prohibited. The view expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Benenden. All advertising is accepted in good faith and no endorsement should be inferred; neither should the presence of any Benenden business’s logo in a promotion (as part of a commercial arrangement with a selected partner) be construed as an endorsement. Please check any medical or dietary advice with your own doctor.

43 RENÉ FRAIOLI How Benenden members can make their voices heard 47 CONTACT BENENDEN Key numbers and services

Circulation 351,831 (July - Dec 2015) ABC

Copy eerwekrhw *Please note, calls may be recorded for our mutual security and also for training and quality purposes.

Find us online www.benenden.co.uk Plus keep up to date with all the latest news on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+

COVER STORY Your health preconceptions are put to the test www.benenden.co.uk 3

health check ]News you can use i

0.9 UNITS Sherry (50ml 17.5%)

2.3 UNITS

1.6 UNITS

WEEKLY LIMIT 14

Pint of dra" beer (568ml 4%)

Bo!le of beer (330ml 5%)

WEEKLY LIMIT 6

WEEKLY LIMIT 8

1 UNIT

Single spirit shot (25ml 40%) WEEKLY LIMIT 14

What difference will revised guidelines on alcohol make, asks Kathleen Morgan These are interesting times for anyone who likes a tipple. Revised UK government guidelines on alcohol consumption advise a weekly limit of 14 units for men, the same as for women. The guidelines, published in January 2016, suggest spreading the 14 units over three or more 4 Be Healthy Summer 2016

New advice: Dame Sally Davies

days rather than saving them up for one or two days. Then there came the news that around 2.5 million people in Great Britain – 9% of drinkers – consume more than the new recommended weekly limit for alcohol in a single day, according to the Office for National Statistics. Of the 2.5 million who exceeded the weekly alcohol guideline in a day, most were men. The most common age group was 25 to

44-year-olds, closely followed by 45 to 64-year-olds. The figures were based on 2014 data. So how should anyone who enjoys alcohol navigate this thorny territory? Dr John Giles, medical director of Benenden, advocates a balanced, mature view of alcohol consumption. He said: “The new guidelines take into account some evidence not available when the original recommendations were made.

THE SUNDAY TIMES / NEWS SYNDICATION, SHUTTERSTOCK

How to know your limits

Diets in the dock 1.6 UNITS

Small glass of wine (125ml 12.5%) WEEKLY LIMIT 8

How well does the average British family eat? Does the food system restrict healthy choices for typical British families? That was the question posed by independent organisation The Food Foundation’s report, Force-Fed, sponsored by

Benenden, which was presented to the UK government. The answer? The diets of typical British families are the greatest risk to their health and survival, found the think tank.

The findings

0.9 UNITS Gin and tonic (25ml 37.5%)

25% are obese; 5% have diabetes

WEEKLY LIMIT 14

74% don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables

50%+ can’t understand nutritional information

64% eat more red meat than is advised

BUY 2 GET 1 FREE High-fat, salt or sugar food gives 47% of our calories

We spend 20% more due to promotions

53% increase in places to eat out in the last 10 years

Eating out uses up 1/3 of spending on food & drink

ge All chaenn s, t guideline

overnm Previous g t out daily in 1995, se d publishe hol its for alco drinking lim dvice a st on. The late oving consumpti m s, it lim weekly n o s se u n c ri fo at d king the idea th away from ble is accepta every day

Overall, average alcohol consumption per head has fallen, but some sections of the population continue to place themselves at greater risk. “I believe the majority of the population understands the need for moderation, yet a small minority needs more guidance. At the end of the day we are all grown-ups, and we have to allow individuals to make their own decisions, but we must ensure they have sufficient

information to help them do that.” Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, said: “Drinking any alcohol regularly carries a health risk, but if men and women limit their intake to 14 units a week it keeps the risk of illness like cancer and liver disease low.” See page 47 for information on the Psychological Wellbeing 24/7 Helpline

Unhealthy foods such as ready meals are three times cheaper than healthy ones

www.benenden.co.uk 5

healthcheck

Securing the future of the NHS Norman Lamb MP tells Siân Phillips why rivalries have been forgotten in a bid to save the health service

£22bn by 2030, according to The Health Foundation, an independent charity. All too often, says Lamb with calm persuasion, health authorities are “trimming mental health and trimming community services, which then irrationally just increases the number of people who end up going into the acute hospital, which makes the situation even worse”. Lamb says it is time to “[engage] the public in a big national conversation about how much we are prepared to spend as a society on our health and care system”. “The bottom line,” he adds, “is that it’s very important that we have a health and care system that provides for people when they are in need of help, and my fear is we are drifting to a situation where that won’t be the case.” Lamb emphasises that the issue transcends party politics. A review, he says, would need to take into account all stakeholders, including the public, health and care providers, and health staff.

In a quiet, circular oak-panelled room overlooking the bustling Houses of Parliament and a swollen river Thames, Liberal Democrat MP Norman Lamb is reimagining the NHS. The former care and support minister is explaining why he has joined forces with two fellow ex-minsters – Stephen Dorrell of the Conservatives and Alan Milburn of Labour – to call for a “21st-century Beveridge plan for the NHS”. The 1942 Beveridge Report led to the founding of the NHS, so why the call for a review? “The NHS and, critically, the care system are facing a massive challenge,” says Lamb. “Health and care costs are rising at 4% to 5% a year, in part due to an ageing population and also due to new treatments and new expensive surgery techniques coming on stream.” The total shortfall in the NHS and care system will be

Norman Lamb says our healthcare system needs a rethink

The NHS and the care system are facing a massive challenge “If you had an NHS and Care Commission,” he believes, “organisations such as Benenden could come forward and put their case. That would enable ideas to be considered in the mix when reaching conclusions about what will work best.”

Around 40 organisations including Independent Age, Care England, Carers UK, Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie have signed a letter to the prime minister urging him to hold a commission on the future of the NHS and social care. In a reformed NHS, Lamb is also keen to ensure equality for mental health care. “If you have mental ill health, you don’t have the same right to get treatment on time as others do,” he says. “[As care and support minister in the coalition government] I

DISCOUNTED HOME INSURANCE Being a Benenden member comes with its rewards, including a reassuring 15% discount on home insurance. Members enjoy 24-hour home emergency

6 Be Healthy Summer 2016

assistance as standard, a claims-free discount and two levels of cover with optional add-ons to choose from. So why not switch to Benenden home insurance

when you renew your policy? For more information and to find your discount code, visit www.benenden.co.uk/ healthierhome3

PAUL STUART; SHUTTERSTOCK, ALAMY

Member rewards

Serving suggestions fit for a Wimbledon winner Glenn Kearney, above, advises tennis player Andy Murray on how to eat well. Here, the head of nutrition for the Lawn Tennis Association gives top tips for healthy eating. SUGAR ISN’T A NO-NO, BUT BE CAREFUL l People know that sweet foods contain sugar, but it’s important to check food labels: many processed foods such as pasta sauces and cereals have hidden sugar (and salt). CONTROL YOUR ENVIRONMENT l If I have crisps in the house, I’ll eat them – and I’m a

introduced the first maximum waiting time standards in mental health for access to psychological therapies, a six-week maximum waiting time standard, and a two-week standard for early intervention in psychosis. “Now they need to be made comprehensive across the whole of mental health so that anyone who has a mental health issue knows they have a right to get treatment within a defined period of time.” See page 21 for a special focus on mental health

CHLOE DEWE MATHEWS; SHUTTERSTOCK

Fast fact The UK’s first kidney transplant took place between 49-year-old identical twins in Edinburgh on 30 October 1960

nutritionist, so I know they’re empty calories and full of salt. So I don’t buy them as it’s better not to have the temptation in the first place. LOOK AT YOUR FOOD BEHAVIOUR l Many people eat too quickly without thinking about what they’re putting in their mouths. I advise my clients to look at the size of their plate, to look at when and what they’re eating. DON’T BECOME OBSESSED l If you have cake or a bowl of chips, that’s fine, as long as you balance it with healthy foods in appropriate proportions most of the time.

BE PREPARED l If you travel a lot or work away from home, you’ll be tempted to buy fat-laden takeaway foods or sweet, baked goods. It is much better to buy or prepare something like a salad or a simple soup you can eat on the go. LEARN ABOUT FATS l Many people are now realising the value of quality fat, such as omega 3 fatty acids, in our diets. Eating high-quality salmon, free-range beef or eggs, and green, leafy vegetables can maximise your intake of these.

Andy Murray, the world No 2, takes dietary tips from Glenn Kearney

Tennis festivals take off Benenden joins forces with the LTA It is a quintessentially British sport, but one in 10 parents in the UK has no idea where to begin when it comes to playing tennis. That could change as Benenden has joined forces with the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to launch a series of festivals promoting the sport in communities across the country.

Around 380 UK clubs have already signed up to running a Benenden Tennis Festival, offering visitors the chance to get hands-on experience of the sport.

The festivals aim to get more people playing tennis more often. Research by Benenden has revealed that 20% of people believe tennis is an

elitist sport, while nearly a quarter think it is too expensive to play. More than half of families never play sport together. Organisers hope the festivals will overturn these perceptions, encouraging people across the UK to pick up a racquet.

www.benenden.co.uk 7

NUTRITION healthcheck

For me, there is no before and after My experience

The attack was startling in its strategic brutality. Katie Piper was 24 and building a career as a model when she was raped by an ex-boyfriend. He then arranged for an accomplice to meet her and throw sulphuric acid in her face. Both men are serving life sentences. Piper has had to endure a slow, painful journey to recovery but refuses to be defined by the attacks, and has since set up the Katie Piper Foundation charity, to help people with visible burns or scars to achieve their full potential. “It’s about what we choose to do after the traumatic event that matters,” she says. “For me, there is no before and after – the devastating incident is not who I am. I have the greatest respect and admiration for the staff and trustees of the foundation, but the survivors are some of the strongest people you will ever come across. “The attack made me appreciate good health – we only get one body so we must look after it.” Piper spent two months in the burns unit at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where she was placed in an induced coma while her surgeon, Mohammad Ali Jawad, and his team performed pioneering surgery. They removed the layers of dead skin from Piper’s face and rebuilt the foundations

LIFE AND TIMES KATIE PIPER l 1983 Born in Hampshire on 12 October

8 Be Healthy Summer 2016

using the dermal substitute MatriDerm along with skin grafts from her back and buttocks – the first time this had been done as a single-stage operation. Piper then went to an intensive burn rehabilitation unit in France, where she had to wear a plastic pressure mask 23 hours a day for two years. She was fed through a tube in her stomach as reforming scar tissue in her throat restricted her ability to eat or drink. The sight was restored to Piper’s blinded eye at the Queen Victoria Hospital, West Sussex. Cells grown using an anonymous donor’s cornea tissue were stitched into her eye, and ‘bandaged’ with amniotic membrane – womb lining donated by women after caesarean births. “I can’t deny I have struggled to rise above the physical but I try to be consistent in my positivity,” says Piper, who praises her family and husband’s unconditional love, and the support of friends Kamran and Lucinda, her “angels”. Along with her charity, Piper has other priorities these days, including daughter Belle Elizabeth. “I have another life to care for, and for us to all have good health, that is priceless,” she says.

For more information visit katiepiperfoundation.org.uk

l 2008 Piper is attacked and blinded in one eye. Her treatment begins at a burns unit

The a!ack made me appreciate good health – we only get one body

l 2009 Launches the Katie Piper Foundation and makes a documentary, Katie: My Beautiful Face, for Channel 4

l 2012 Makes Katie: The Science of Seeing Again, which follows Piper’s journey to regain her sight

l 2014 Daughter Belle Elizabeth is born in March l 2015 Marries Richard James Sutton in November

REX FEATURES; DAVE HOGAN/GETTY IMAGES

Model Katie Piper was deeply scarred in a 2008 attack, but she has rebuilt her life and is helping others do the same, hears Jane Druker

Imagine a city full of culture, art, history and heritage, combined with boutique shopping and a whole host of cosy bistros and pubs where you can sample some fine Yorkshire specialities. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the return of the Flying Scotsman or the York Minster Mystery Plays. Start planning and create your very own adventure NOW! visityork.org/adventure

Under 2 hours from London by train virgintrainseastcoast.co.uk

healthcheck

Food for thought Rise and shine. Check out the figures of the most important meal of the day PORRIDGE Calories ................284 kcal Sugar .......................... trace Salt .............................. trace Protein ........................ 8.8g Fat ................................ 6.4g

BACON ROLL Calories ................ 579 kcal Sugar ........................... 1.9g Salt ................................ 2.1g Protein ....................... 17.7g Fat .................................... 8g

CORNFLAKES Calories .................172 kcal Sugar ............................... 9g Salt ............................... 0.2g Protein ............................ 6g Fat .................................... 3g

A bowl of this helps the brain produce the feelgood hormone serotonin

A perfect weekend treat. Opt for uncured varieties as a healthier alternative

This breakfast staple was invented by mistake in 1898 by WK Kellogg

Member discount

Visit www.benenden.co.uk/ stayhealthy or call 0800 414 8486

Save on health assessments

Benenden members offered discount on service tailored to suit their needs If you are wondering how you are shaping up, you can save up to 25% on a health assessment when you book through Benenden. Members are offered a comprehensive range of health assessments to suit their needs. A highly qualified team of GPs and nurses will review your health, offering

practical advice on lifestyle changes that help reduce your risk of common but preventable conditions such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Benenden’s health assessments start at just £99. The 25% saving relates to the standard rate of health assessments when purchased directly through Screenetics and BMI Healthcare.

Keep in touch RED GRAPEFRUIT Calories ................104 kcal Sugar ............................... 6g Salt .............................. trace Protein ............................ 2g Fat .................................... 6g

TOAST AND MARMALADE Calories ................396 kcal Sugar .......................... 17.6g Salt ................................... 1g Protein ........................ 6.8g Fat .............................. 21.4g

Yolks provide 13 essential nutrients and the white is a great source of protein

Filled with antioxidantrich vitamins C and A, and dietary fibre

The pectin-packed preserve can help relieve sore throats

FIGURES STATED ABOVE REFER TO A STANDARD SERVING OF EACH MEAL. Statistics relate to these brands: Scott’s Porage Oats 80g serving with 550ml water; two rashers of Asda Extra Special unsmoked back bacon and unbuttered Asda Chosen by You white roll; Kellogg’s Cornflakes 30g serving with 125ml semi-skimmed milk; one large Tesco egg and one crustless slice of Tesco wholemeal bread buttered with 1tbsp of Tesco salted butter; two slices of Warburtons seeded batch bread, Tesco salted butter 20g serving, Robertson’s Golden Shred marmalade 30g serving

10 Be Healthy Summer 2016

Update your details online You can now update your membership details online – in less than two minutes. Simply register online using your membership number, email address and date of birth. Keeping in touch couldn’t be simpler. www.benenden.co.uk/contactus

ALAN DONALDSON, RICHARD PALMER; GETTY IMAGES

BOILED EGG AND TOAST Calories ................235 kcal Sugar ............................ 1.1g Salt ............................... 0.9g Protein .......................... 12g Fat ............................... 19.1g

Competition

Win a five-star tennis weekend in London Benenden is working in partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association to promote sport as part of a healthy lifestyle. To celebrate this we’re giving away an all expenses-paid weekend at the Aegon Championships held at the Queen’s Club in June.

The lucky winner will see some of the world’s top tennis players in action.

two in the five-star Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington ○ £250 spending money

THE PRIZE INCLUDES ○ Two tickets to the finals on 19 June 2016 ○ First-class rail travel to London ○ Overnight accommodation for

PLUS Two runners-up will receive a pair of tickets to the semi-finals at the Aegon Championships held on 18 June 2016.

HOW TO ENTER To enter simply tell us your home insurance renewal date by visiting www.benenden.co.uk/ prizedrawhome Closing date 15 May 2016. Terms and conditions can be found at the web address above.

Win!

TICKET THE AE S TO CHAMP GON IONSH FINAL IPS WITH BE HOME IN NENDEN SURANC E

Prizes include

Tickets to the finals

5-star London hotel

1st-class travel

£250 spending money www.benenden.co.uk 11

healthcheck At a glance

A tax on sugary drinks is to be introduced by 2018, George Osborne announced in his 2016 budget speech. The levy will affect producers of soft drinks with a sugar content above 5g per 100ml. Research has shown children’s immune system can be upset by consuming too much sugar. After around 100g of sugar – the

amount in a typical one-litre bottle of pop – white blood cells can be around 40 per cent less effective at killing germs. This can cripple the immune system for up to five hours after eating sugar. Public Health England has said around a third of 10 to 11-year-olds are obese. See www.benenden. co.uk/sugarbowl for more information

POLICE CHARITY CALLS FOR VOLUNTEERS The charity devoted to supporting police officers with mental health problems is appealing for volunteers.

Call4Backup offers access to advice on legal, financial, wellbeing and domestic issues. The charity benefits from the help of serving and retired police. See www. call4backup.org

SAFETY FIRST Patient safety is being prioritised in a campaign supported by Benenden Hospital. Claire Harley, director of patient services at the hospital, said the Sign up to Safety campaign – in which providers make and publicise five pledges – would

“help healthcare providers to make improvements and create a supportive, open and transparent environment for patients and staff”.

12 Be Healthy Summer 2016

As the Queen celebrates her 90th birthday, we compare life in Britain today with 1926

1926

2016

Stanley Baldwin

David Cameron

is the Conservative prime minister and son of an industrialist who gets tough on strikes

is the Conservative prime minister campaigning to stay in Europe before an in-out referendum

Average life expectancy for children born in 1926, including the royal baby, is 70.6 years

Benenden is 21 years old and Benenden Hospital in Kent is a decade old. The society was founded to help post office workers with TB.

77 years is the average life expectancy for boys born in 2016, with girls expected to live to 81

The mutual society is 111 years old, with an 870,000-strong community. Benenden Hospital is to unveil a multimillion-pound redevelopment

Winniethe-Pooh

Rediscover Winnie

by AA Milne is published for the first time, inspired by a real-life Canadian bear and illustrated by Ernest H Shepard

in an anthology sequel, The Best Bear in All the World, illustrated by Mark Burgess and published later this year

The General Strike

Junior doctors

in support of British miners lasts 10 days and involves more than 1.5 million strikers

are locked in a fraught dispute with ministers in England

Find out more about medical milestones over the last 90 years at www.benenden.co.uk/queensbirthday

SHUTTERSTOCK; JOHN PENDER

SUGAR TAX TARGETS SOFT DRINKS INDUSTRY

MANY HAPPY RETURNS

NUTRITION

TRUE

FALSE

HEALTH MYTHS Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? Can cracking your knuckles cause arthritis? The experts test our assumptions about health WORDS PENNIE TAYLOR ILLUSTRATIONS MCKIBILLO

14 Be Healthy Summer 2016

SHUTTERSTOCK

DEBUNKED

Does vitamin C prevent colds?

Ever since the 1930s, when vitamin C was discovered, scientists have been trying to establish whether it can prevent the common cold. In an effort to finally answer the question, in 2012 a group of researchers pulled together all the studies held by the Cochrane Library and examined the findings. “We hoped the authors would be able to clear things up,” says investigator Chris Del

SHUTTERSTOCK

Mar, professor of public health at Bond University in Queensland, Australia. “Instead, we found conflicting conclusions and further confusion.” In a nutshell, it seems that vitamin C does not prevent colds, but could shorten their effects. “A few of the

trials indicate vitamin C taken in very big doses by marathon runners and army personnel undertaking training in extreme conditions might bring benefit,” says Professor Del Mar. “For the rest of us, taking such high doses of vitamin C would not be a good idea.” Prof Del Mar believes more research is needed. “Until we know for sure, I’d suggest a better way of preventing infections is to wash your hands more often.”

Does antiperspirant cause breast cancer? The idea that antiperspirant and deodorant cause breast cancer is a myth, says Dr Jana Witt, health information officer at Cancer Research UK. And any concern is unnecessary, as there is absolutely no convincing evidence to substantiate what simply amounts to poor science and rumours. “Scientists have looked at these claims closely, and have found them unconvincing,” says Dr Witt. “Most have no real biological foundation and a lot of the research is of low quality.” Antiperspirants and deodorants are

applied underarm to suppress sweating and odour, and it is their use so close to breast tissue that has sparked worry in the past. “However, breast cancer occurs in the breast, not in the underarm lymph nodes,” explains Dr Witt. “There isn’t any solid evidence about a link with cancer.” Cancer Research UK reviews all the new evidence that emerges and publishes information on its website. Anyone with concerns is urged to contact the organisation for authoritative advice and support. www.cancer researchuk.org

Does a slow metabolism cause obesity?

“No is the short answer,” says Dr Giles Yeo, director of genomics at the University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories. He explains that the larger a person is, the faster their metabolism. He likens it to the difference between a Range Rover and a Mini: the bigger car burns more fuel.

There are, however, differences between individuals that dictate their ability to lose weight. “For instance, some people are more fidgety than others, and use their hands more when they speak,” says Dr Yeo. “They will burn a few more calories each day, which can make a big difference to their size over the course of a lifetime.”

There are some rare gene defects that can cause severe obesity, but of far greater relevance is that our genetic inheritance determines our place on the weight scale. “It’s a combination of about 100 genes that dictate whether we look more like Kate Moss or Brian Blessed,” says De Yeo. “Sadly, it all boils down to eating too much.” www.benenden.co.uk 15

NUTRITION

According to Stuart Biddle, professor of active living at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, sitting for too long is akin to being in space: it shuts down many of the body’s biological systems and causes muscle groups to waste away. That is why British astronaut Tim Peake has to do two hours of hardcore exercise each day on the International Space Station to maintain his fitness. “It is concerning because we are becoming much more sedentary as a society, what with televisions and

16 Be Healthy Summer 2016

computers,” says Professor Biddle. “The evidence of the harm caused by long periods of sitting is emerging, but it makes common sense to move around as much as possible.” Even if you have a desk job, Professor Biddle recommends getting up from your seat regularly. “When you’re on the phone, stand up and walk around. And try to work standing up.” He adds: “If you have to sit, try to reduce the time you spend doing it. And, believe me, meetings are much shorter if everyone has to stand.”

Is a gluten-free diet the healthier option?

“Under certain circumstances, following a glutenfree diet is absolutely the right thing to do,” says dietitian Dr Amanda Squire, a lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University and British Dietetic Association spokesperson. “However, if you are not gluten intolerant, it’s just a waste of money.” Gluten-free diets have long been used to treat coeliac disease, a condition caused by intolerance to the protein in wheat that

causes gastrointestinal disturbance. People who are diagnosed with a gluten allergy also sometimes benefit from cutting out wheat, and perhaps barley and rye. For the rest of us, it’s simply an expensive food fad. “I recently bought coconut flour, the latest

trendy alternative to wheat, and it cost a fortune,” says Dr Squire. “The idea was to make coconut bread, but in the end I had to smother it in jam to make it palatable. It was vile.” Dr Squire has particular concerns about parents who think going gluten free will help children with autism and ADHD. “These children risk malnourishment, and parents ought to speak to their GP about getting a referral to a dietitian instead.”

Does warm milk help you sleep?

It might be a comforting thought that a warm, milky drink before bed promotes drowsiness, but in reality it is no more than that. Milk does contain tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is converted in the brain into serotonin, a hormone that leads to relaxation and can aid sleep. “However, there are lots of foods with higher tryptophan levels than milk, such as nuts and lentils, which are not associated with sleep,” says Dr Ian Smith, consultant sleep physician and deputy medical director at Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Cambridge, home of Britain’s largest sleep centre.

Certainly better than tea, coffee or alcohol at bedtime – all of which can disrupt sleep – milk can have a positive role in promoting sleep if it becomes part of a person’s reassuring bedtime routine. “This could include putting aside the worries of the day, having a relaxing bath, and

avoiding stimulating activities such as brightlight exposure, exercise or watching a tense thriller on the TV,” says Dr Smith. “So the answer is that hot milk does not have a magical hypnotic property, but may be a useful component of an overall package to improve sleep quality.”

SHUTTERSTOCK

Is sitting at a desk all day bad for you?

SHUTTERSTOCK

Is running on a soft surface better for your body?

As a form of exercise, running can deliver a wealth of health benefits. Compared with people who are inactive, or who take non-weightbearing exercise such as cycling, running – done safely – can be more protective against conditions such as osteoporosis, in which bone loss

causes an increased risk of fractures. But there is no evidence that running on a soft surface such as grass is better for the body than running on a hard surface such as tarmac, says Dr Rebecca Robinson, consultant in sports and exercise medicine at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield.

“Bone is living tissue and it constantly remodels,” she says. “If you start running on a hard surface gradually, and build it up slowly, there can be a positive response in the laying down of new cells, making the bone matrix stronger.” Running on soft surfaces is lower impact, and good for

balance and bounce. “Ideally, you should try to mix it up,” says Dr Robinson. “Substitute some road runs with off-road trail, grass or sand runs to create a new stimulus for your ligaments, muscles and tendons. The uneven surface and direction changes promote whole-bone loading better, as can

adding plyometrics – jump training – to your training regime.” People with existing joint or bone conditions might benefit from lowerimpact running, or alternatives to running. A physiotherapist or sports doctor should be able to help design a programme to get similar health benefits.

www.benenden.co.uk 17

NUTRITION

Does an apple a day keep the doctor away? and vitamins C, A and E, which boost immunity. They also have pectin, credited with lowering glucose levels and cholesterol, and maintaining a

healthy digestive system. Antioxidantrich foods such as these have been linked to a reduction in the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Debate has raged for decades about how healthy – or otherwise – drinking coffee is. Some swear by it, if only to kick-start their day; others blame it for a range of ills. In an effort to shed light on the question, a team of researchers at the T H Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University in America analysed the coffee-drinking habits of more than 208,000 people monitored over 30 years. Taking into account other factors, the scientists concluded that moderate coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, and suicide – and it made no

difference whether the coffee was caffeinated or decaffeinated. The study also found that drinking coffee was not associated with cancer deaths. However, no-one can say whether coffee was directly responsible for any benefit. And neither can they discount the possibility that drinking coffee had an acute effect on blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. “We recommend that if you are a coffee drinker, moderate amounts of coffee – three to five cups per day – is most appropriate,” says Dr Ming Ding, a doctoral student in Harvard’s department of nutrition. “And if you are not a coffee drinker, you do not need to change your habit for the sake of longevity.”

SHUTTERSTOCK

The pithy proverb ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ appears to have originated in Wales. As with so much country lore, though, there is more than a speck of truth in it. According to Victoria Taylor, a senior dietician at the British Heart Foundation, an apple a day is just a start. “We now recommend eating at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day to protect heart health,” she says. Apples contain boron, thought to be good for bones,

Is coffee bad for you?

18 Be Healthy Summer 2016

Is drinking two litres of water a day beneficial?

Given that the adult human is made up of around 65% water, it comes as no surprise that we need to top up with the stuff regularly to stay well. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), based in Parma, Italy, has investigated optimum intake and concludes that, for men, 2.5 litres a day is generally adequate under normal conditions, while women are advised to drink two litres. “Adequate intake refers to total water intake, including drinking

SHUTTERSTOCK

water, water from beverages of all kinds and water from food moisture,” says an EFSA spokesperson. “Intakes should be increased

under conditions that promote high water loss, such as when it’s very hot, during intense physical exercise, or if there is vomiting or diarrhoea.” You are not drinking enough if you’re thirsty or your urine is dark and urination is infrequent and low volume. These signs may be different for older people, and it’s hard to drink too much water, says the EFSA: “Overconsumption that exceeds the kidneys’ capacity to eliminate that water is not easy to achieve.”

Does cracking your knuckles cause arthritis?

There is something visceral about the cracking of knuckles, that spinetingling popping sound that accompanies the overextension of the fingers. It is a practice beloved by some, yet irritating to others. Most knuckle crackers will have been told – probably in an effort to get them to stop doing it – that they risk arthritis if they continue. The scientific community, though, says there is no hard proof to back that up. “We have no evidence that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis in the long term: there simply haven’t been good studies to make a decision about this,” says Professor Philip Conaghan of the

academic unit of musculoskeletal medicine at the University of Leeds. Professor Conaghan, a spokesperson for Arthritis Research UK, adds: “However, knuckle cracking may be associated with tendon and other softtissue problems.” Knuckles are lubricated by synovial fluid, a yolk-like

substance that reduces friction between the bones, easing movement. Cracking happens when the joints are stretched to the point that bubbles of dissolved gases are formed, which then pop. Once a knuckle is cracked, it takes about 15 minutes for the gases to reform. www.arthritis researchuk.org

Do tight underpants cause male infertility? The ‘boxers versus briefs’ debate continues, despite scientific studies that show it is statistically difficult to prove a link between tight underpants and compromised male fertility. The scrotum, where the testes are held, is a couple of degrees cooler than the rest of a man’s body. The theory goes that wearing tight pants raises the temperature, thus overheating sperm. “There’s not great scientific data to support that,” says Professor Carolyn Allan, an andrologist,

or specialist in male fertility, at the Hudson Institute in Melbourne, Australia. “If a man is healthy and has a normal sperm count, tight underwear isn’t going to make a difference. “However, in our clinics if we see men with tenuous sperm counts, we may suggest that they opt for loose clothing. It’s a simple, noninvasive step that might improve things a little. No harm can come from it.” Factors that could affect sperm include sexually transmitted infections, drug use, smoking and obesity.

www.benenden.co.uk 19

CLINICALLY PROVEN TO MAKE SKIN APPEAR 5 YEARS YOUNGER Did you know that skin is affected by lower oestrogen levels during and after the menopause? Our replenish day cream SPF15 contains Lipobelle Soyaglycone, the most effective form of phytoestrogens on the skin, which help to re-boost collagen. The result is firmer, more lifted skin at any age.

“Made my skin look and feel a little younger and firmer and my complexion was a lot better.”

(RRP £13.95) 50ml

Mrs Sneeden

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

See the difference –

or your money back. nurtureskincare.co.uk | freephone 0800 072 9510

ONLY AVAILABLE DIRECT Please quote code

NBEN – ZAP

Offer expires 31.05.16 and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

NEW

12 £6.98 price

behealthy SPECIAL FOCUS

MENTAL HEALTH UNCOVERED Six people tell their real-life stories WORDS BY PENNIE TAYLOR ILLUSTRATION BY YUKO SHIMIZU

www.benenden.co.uk 21

MENTAL HEALTH

1 IN 4 OF US HAS MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. SO WHY DON’T WE TALK ABOUT IT?

ALAN AINSLEY ecember is the toughest time of the year for Alan Ainsley. It’s the month he married the love of his life, the month of her birthday and the month they were told she didn’t have long to live. It’s also the month he last tried to take his own life. Ainsley’s wife, Emma Louise Page, known as Louise, was just 42 years old when she died in May 2013. She had

22 Be Healthy Summer 2016

been diagnosed with bone cancer in her left leg 10 years earlier, and had endured 13 operations, four amputations and several gruelling rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, all in pursuit of remission. Then just before Christmas 2012 came the news that the cancer was back, and this time it was terminal. The couple had resolved to live life to the full right to the end. Among the

highlights of those last few months was a photo shoot with star photographer Rankin, who had set out to capture the vitality of people who knew their days were numbered. His striking portrait of Louise was to be exhibited in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh. It had been a goal of Louise’s to make it to the opening of Rankin’s exhibition, Alive, in London. She achieved that, but died two

ANGELA CATLIN

The survivor

f 25% of adults in the UK have a mental health problem every year, surely we are able to talk about it without fear of stigma or social isolation? “Not always” is the answer to this thorny question. While there is legislation to protect us in the workplace if we struggle with mental health, many still feel unable to open up. And why should we? After all, about 40% of UK employers said they considered giving a job to someone with a mental illness a ‘significant risk’ to their company, according to research. Yet gone are the days when people with mental health problems were vilified in the media. High-profile media campaigns such as Time to Change are alerting us to the fact we, or those we love, are all touched by mental ill health at some point. We talk to six people about their experience of mental illness – and how to combat the stigma surrounding it.

Alan Ainsley is back on his bike after experiencing pathological grief

First person Watch Alan Ainsley tell his story at www.benenden.co.uk/be-healthy

days later with Ainsley by her side at her mother’s home in Yorkshire. In the immediate aftermath of Louise’s death, Ainsley was caught up with the business of bereavement: memorials, bequests and fulfilling his wife’s final wishes. Gradually, he became aware that depression had engulfed him. “It’s like being in a pit,” he says. “Overwhelming blackness on all sides. No light anywhere.

It became all-encompassing. I couldn’t find enjoyment in anything.” At the company where he worked as creative director, Ainsley continued to devise high-profile campaigns for clients. What his colleagues did not know was that he was suffering crushing anxiety, nightmares, insomnia and panic attacks. “I worked with someone who had severe mental health issues that he was

very public about, and I had seen how he’d been dealt with: people discussing the negative impact his illness had on their health, not his. Management didn’t deal with it, or help him.” Ainsley says self-stigma prevented him from sharing his feelings. “I thought I had to be strong.” Just over a year after his wife’s death, Ainsley was called into a meeting by www.benenden.co.uk 23

Louise Page, photographed by Rankin; and, inset, with Alan Ainsley

Nobody did anything to help. I felt it would be best if I wasn’t around

Friends did start to notice, though, and kept pressing him to see his GP. He finally agreed, but went home instead, resolving to attempt suicide again. management. “I told them I was A friend intervened and took Ainsley depressed and needed help. I was told I straight to his GP. Later that day, he was ought to be over the grief by now ... and voluntarily admitted to the Royal that they would be keeping a close eye on Edinburgh Hospital. “I felt very safe there,” me. I was devastated.” he says. “The staff were truly amazing. For Ainsley carried on working, the first time, I opened up properly and increasingly paranoid about who told them everything.” was watching him and what they Ainsley was an inpatient for five days. were saying. Fortnightly appraisal Back at home, he was supported by friends meetings were held; after the third, and the hospital’s home treatment team. Ainsley was informed there had been no “They came twice a day for five months. progress. “Nobody did anything to help,” If I needed them, I could call – and I did.” he says. “I felt as though it would be Ainsley has been diagnosed with best if I wasn’t around.” pathological grief. “When a psychiatrist Back home that night, told me I was suffering from a form Ainsley made the first attempt of post-traumatic stress disorder, I at hanging himself. When thought ‘that only happens to soldiers’, that failed, he went to work but it was pointed out to me that at 7.30am the next day I had seen my wife go through to direct a photo shoot. horrendous things, so maybe He opened up to two I have been through battles colleagues, but the of my own.” Ainsley: response was unhelpful Now recovering, Ainsley better days and human resources still has tough times. But he were not informed. has rediscovered his love of

24 Be Healthy Summer 2016

road cycling and books, and knows he can turn to his “fantastic” GP any time for help. He no longer works for the creative agency, but volunteers his communication skills to charities, among them the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH). “My advice to anyone feeling desperate is that there is always somebody there to listen to you, but you have to take the first step to open up about your thoughts.” Ainsley is reassured that young men appear to be increasingly aware of the necessity to talk about their feelings. His son from his first marriage, 19-yearold Jacob, is a student at the London College of Fashion. “We have had honest conversations about depression and stigma, and the support networks that are out there,” says Ainsley. “He and his peers know that if they are struggling, they can get help.” Ainsley is passionate about addressing mental health stigma. “A high percentage of employees are unaware of their rights,” he says. “If there is ignorance, individuals need to be supported to understand. Mental health first aid and training at work ought to be mandatory. “One way of making that happen would be if large organisations made it a condition of procurement that suppliers had good mental health policies in place for their workforce. It requires the government to get behind that. They need to lead by example.” Visit www.samh.org.uk and Alancainsley.wordpress.com

Care for your mental health 10 practical ways to look after yourself TELL SOMEONE HOW YOU FEEL Take charge of your wellbeing by sharing your concerns. Talking can help put a problem in perspective, making you feel supported and less isolated

STAY ACTIVE Regular exercise can help you concentrate, sleep better and boost self-confidence. Your brain and vital organs will benefit – and you’ll feel better mentally as well

RANKIN; ANGELA CATLIN

MENTAL HEALTH

The campaigner MARJORIE WALLACE CBE

PAUL STUART

he battle against stigma associated with mental illness has come a long way in the last 30 years. When I started SANE, there was very little written about it in the press, and what there was tended to be sensational. In terms of films, we were stuck with the spectre of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Since then, there has been a tectonic change in the public’s awareness. There is much greater willingness to speak about it. The media regularly cover people who have been through it, and many more celebrities are talking about their own experiences. Stephen Fry has done a great deal to raise awareness positively, as have sports people, who have been a revelation, particularly to young and middle-aged, men, who are at a greater risk of suicide. The three great enemies of acceptance of mental illness are guilt, fear and blame. Because we haven’t found causes, and diagnoses are often inconclusive, people still want a scapegoat, so they blame themselves, their families, society. Guilt is incredibly corrosive – many people with mental illnesses still have a sense that it is their own fault. In terms of fear, mental illness is still in the Dark Ages. We don’t understand enough about different mental illnesses and, although treatments are improving, the advances have been much less than we had hoped. I am a firm believer in research. That’s why we founded the Prince of Wales International Centre for SANE Research in Oxford in 2003, where we host teams looking into different aspects of mental

EAT WELL Ensuring you have a balanced, nutritious diet will benefit your mental health as well as improve your mental wellbeing

DRINK SENSIBLY Some people drink to help deal with feelings of fear or isolation, but any change in mood is only temporary.

Recent advice suggests there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, so choose a healthier way to cope with stress

The three biggest enemies of acceptance of mental illness are guilt, fear and blame

Marjorie Wallace is the founder of SANE

KEEP IN CONTACT WITH FRIENDS Staying in touch with friends – in person, on the phone or online – can help you stay grounded, active and supported

ASK FOR HELP You don’t need to cope by yourself. Ask family, friends or local support services for

help when you begin to feel overwhelmed DO SOMETHING YOU LOVE Taking part in an activity you enjoy can help boost self-esteem and ease stress

TAKE TIME OUT A break from work, whether a holiday or a fiveminute window, can

illness and therapies. Until we find causes and effective treatments, we won’t be able to eradicate stigma. In the meantime, it is vital that people talk about how they are feeling. That’s why we started the SANE Black Dog campaign. Our six-foot-high statues of black dogs are touring the UK, visiting schools, college and university campuses, shopping centres and offices. Our statues carry the message that you don’t have to feel alone: help is out there. SANE runs a helpline that points callers in the direction of local mental health services. Our message is that you can master your black dog. For the future, I would like to see a revolution in psychiatric services for the seriously ill. Over recent decades in England and Wales we have closed so many inpatient mental health beds that we have destroyed the concept of refuge and asylum. And community mental health services are being cut all the time. Mental illness does not have a quick fix. Many people have to live with it for long periods of their lives. We need a system of care that is properly equipped to help them. A campaigning author, journalist and broadcaster, Marjorie Wallace CBE founded mental health charity SANE in 1986. The Forgotten Illness, her acclaimed series of articles for The Times, raised awareness of the lack of services for people with schizophrenia. She is now dedicated to improving mental healthcare for all

be the difference between feeling stressed and coping with stress ACCEPT WHO YOU ARE You are unique, so rather than trying to be like someone else, be proud of who you are. Focusing on your own strengths and abilities, and learning new skills,

can help boost your confidence LOOK OUTWARD Caring for someone else will give you a different perspective. Nurturing your friendships, or volunteering to help others, can help you feel valued and build self-esteem

SOURCE: MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION

www.benenden.co.uk 25

The listening ear RICHARD CARLTON-CRABTREE

nsight Healthcare is a not-for-profit organisation offering Benenden members free talking therapies and follow-up mental health support. We run a counselling telephone helpline that operates around the clock. Some callers may have reached a low point and want to talk things through on a one-off basis; others might benefit from ongoing therapy. Although anxiety, depression and other psychological issues are common, many can be reluctant to seek support. We work hard to normalise things, to help people understand there is no need for shame. We offer help that is available at a time and place to suit. We respond instantly, and we know what we do works. Things are getting better, but there’s still a way to go. Men, for instance, are less likely to seek help than women, and members of some community groups may still feel a greater sense of cultural stigma associated with accessing talking therapies than others. We need them to know that sensitive and appropriate help is available, and it is our job to make it as easy as possible for them to access. Richard Carlton-Crabtree is director of services for Insight Healthcare

Mental illness THE FACTS

1 in 3

GP appointments includes a mental health component

90%

of people with mental health problems experience stigma, from friends and family, at work, in education or during treatment

26 Be Healthy Summer 2016

The psychiatrist DR MARK SALTER

tigma is a strange word. It means ‘marked’, but it is not a mark on a patient – it indicates prejudice. It can’t just be dumped on the ‘experts’ to fix it. In the 19th century Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote that you can judge a society by how it treats its prisoners. I say these days you should judge a society by how it treats its mentally ill people. Not so long ago, you’d go into any pub and routinely hear pejorative terms being used about black people, gay people, disabled people, women. That has been stopped, but you still

A compassionate employer would take account of human frailty

Dr Mark Salter: compassion is key

17%

of people have suicidal thoughts in their lifetime

1 in 10 young people will experience a mental health problem

hear people using words like ‘schizo’ and ‘nutter’. Society has to change its attitudes to tolerating that. We need a richer discourse, a deeper understanding of what mental illness is. We need to show positive portrayals, be more honest in our media reporting and tell good news stories. Most of all, we must not stereotype. There should be mental health training for everyone, but we also need a society that is less ruthlessly driven. A good, compassionate employer would make space to take account of human frailty. Some people just can’t cope. It’s a stressful world we are creating for ourselves. Compassion and kindness should be systematically injected into everything we do. It’s a tall order and it’s not going to happen any time soon. But it’s worth aiming for. Most of medicine is about psycho-social stuff, the effects of stress and pressure. Yet funding is being cut to psychiatry. People who care about this have to become politically active and lobby for it. Stigma is not like a fungus – it can’t be sprayed away. Defeating it means changing hearts and minds. A consultant psychiatrist working in the east end of London, Dr Mark Salter has written for television programmes, including Big Brother

10%

of UK mothers and 6% of fathers have mental health issues at any given time

79% 60% Stress and of people with severe or enduring mental health problems are unemployed

of people with a mental health problem wait more than a year to tell those closest to them about it

bullying are the two main causes of mental distress at work

SOURCES: MIND, MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION AND TIME TO CHANGE

Fiona Shepherd volunteers for the Samaritans

Alastair Campbell is an advocate for the campaign Time to Change

The Samaritan FIONA SHEPHERD

’ve been a Samaritan for 19 years now and my reason for volunteering hasn’t changed. Taking the time to listen to someone and explore how they are feeling is a fairly simple human act, yet it can make such a difference to someone in distress. We get calls, visits, emails and texts from people dealing with depression, loneliness, relationship troubles, abuse – you name it and we have heard it – but the common thread is that they are struggling to cope and either have no-one to turn to or wish to keep their troubles confidential. Since I started volunteering, awareness of and help with mental health issues have increased – as has the number of calls we receive from people struggling with their mental health. At Samaritans, we do not judge our callers and we respect their right to make their own decisions about how to proceed, even if that decision is to end their life.

REX FEATURES

Fiona Shepherd is a volunteer for the Samaritans and a music critic for The Scotsman

Samaritans respect a caller’s right to make their own decisions

The truth is I’m afraid because of the stigma that sometimes exists

The ambassador ALASTAIR CAMPBELL

had a breakdown in the mid 1980s and, as a result of that, I realised I get depression from time to time. In general, and in theory, I’m very good at being open. In practice, if I am feeling just a bit down and fed up with life, I’m probably not, but I’m conscious of the need to be. It’s a very difficult area, this. All I can say is it’s always benefited me to be open. I can’t in all honesty say to everybody in all their different circumstances, “It will

benefit you to be open”, because the truth is I’m afraid that because of the stigma, because of the taboo, because of the discrimination that does sometimes exist, it could be worse for some people. If all of us could somehow make the leap together to be more open, then all of us – the ill and the non-ill – would be better off. Alastair Campbell, a former Labour political aide, is a supporter of the Time to Change mental health campaign www.benenden.co.uk 27

MENTAL HEALTH

Benenden Psychological Wellbeing 24/7 Helpline If you’re struggling with work or personal problems and experience a delay in accessing services through the NHS, expert advice is just a phone call away. Simply call the Psychological Wellbeing 24/7 Helpline for access to guidance on a range of topics. WE CAN OFFER SUPPORT FOR: Stress Bereavement Anxiety or depression Other mental health conditions MORE INFORMATION www.benenden.co.uk Tel: 0800 414 8247 (24 hours a day, freephone) OTHER SUPPORT SERVICES IN THE UK INCLUDE

SANE (UK) Specialist out-of-hours emotional support and information www.sane.org.uk Tel: 0300 304 7000 (Lines open 6–11pm)

28 Be Healthy Summer 2016

MIND Advice, support and a legal advice line for England and Wales www.mind.org.uk Tel: 0300 123 3393 (9am-6pm Mon-Fri)

SAMH Scotland’s national mental health charity www.samh.org.uk Tel: 0141 530 1000 (9am-5pm Mon-Fri, information line)

The Samaritans Confidential, non-judgemental emotional support, round the clock www.samaritans.org Tel: 116 123 (24 hours a day, freephone)

We sailed the world’s oceans to stop wind noise affecting the quality of speech in sound in our new hearing aid...

...so we know it will work in your local coffee shop - even with the coffee machine going and all the background chatter! We all live different lives. For most of us that does not include braving the elements on a transatlantic yacht. A simple call to bloom™ could be the first step to discover how the UNIQUE hearing aid delivers the right solution for you. If you demand a more natural solution, albeit in less demanding situations – around the dinner table, outdoors on a windy golf course, or shopping in a busy marketplace – a demonstration of the new UNIQUE will provide the answers.

Demonstrations are free and if you like what you hear you can extend it to a two-week free trial.

For more information on putting UNIQUE to the test in your unique surroundings, call 0800 612 7994 – quoting UN BH 01

www.bloomhearing.co.uk

We are currently arranging demonstrations in over 60 outlets and branches in England & Wales

arr ang ea Yes I would like t o

Head Office: 111-113 Fore Street, Saltash PL12 6AE email: enquiries@bloomhearing.co.uk

fre ed em

P.S. A demonstration or taking a free trial does not obligate you to buy!

n tio a r st on

new Widex UNIQUE f the o l a i d tr Please complete ALL sections, an including phone number, to receive a free brochure and so we can plan our demonstrations for your area in advance.

Mr/Mrs/Miss

Address Postcode

Tel/Mobile No. Email

Please place your completed form in an envelope and address it to: UN BH 01

Freepost BLOOM HEARING

NOTE: No stamp or other address details are needed!

FIRST PERSON

A Paralympian with victory at Rio 2016 in her sights, Stefanie Reid is compelled to succeed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whether on the track or the catwalk WORDS JACKIE MCGLONE PHOTOGRAPHS PAUL STUART

SPORT SAVED ME 30 Be Healthy Summer 2016

CREDIT IN 3MM BOX ALIGNED TOP

iscussing ancient Greek philosophy seems rather appropriate for Stefanie Reid. The Paralympian is an inspirational athlete who has become one of the UK’s brightest and fastest track and field competitors. Reid is discussing what she calls her “mantra for living”, a quote often used to sum up an aspect of Aristotle’s teachings. “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit,” she says. Reid is familiar with the Olympian, indeed Aristotelian, ideal of excellence. The athlete, who as a teenager lost her right foot in a boating accident, is a five-time world record holder, double Paralympic medallist in the long jump and 200m sprint, and reigning European long jump champion. Now she is focusing her efforts on securing gold at Rio 2016, although she qualifies this with what sounds like another philosophical mantra. “If you do it for just that gold medal, you’re not going to last,” she says. “The real victory is the person you are becoming by never quitting.” Reid knows she is fallible – injury meant she had to pull out of the IPC World Championships in Doha, Qatar, last October – and has her eye on the bigger picture. A professional speaker, TV sports pundit and model, the 31-year-old is also known as a campaigning voice. She speaks FACT FILE passionately about the importance BORN October 1984, of encouraging more girls and Auckland, New young women to play sport. Zealand Highlighting the problem of poor CAREER HIGHS Five-time world body image among young females, record holder, double she cites research for Be Real, the Paralympic medallist body confidence campaign, which in the long jump showed that two-thirds of British (2012) and 200m girls hated their bodies, which she sprint (2008). Reigning European describes as “shocking”. long jump champion Today, Reid says she has never FACTOID Spent a year felt so confident about her own as a volunteer body, “cellulite and all”. teacher in a She says: “When I became maximum-security prison an amputee, I got all these GOAL Rio 2016 messages from the media that I could no longer look like someone in Cosmopolitan, that I could no longer enjoy myself, no longer have a boyfriend or be in a relationship. But I knew I wanted to live my life. Rather than being ashamed of my body, I felt www.benenden.co.uk 31

FIRST PERSON

I wondered how fast I could run with one foot. I got back out there. I took ownership of my body incredibly grateful that I still had mobility. We are all so much more than how we look. Last September, Reid became the first amputee to model at London Fashion Week, appearing on the catwalk for acclaimed designer Leni Boya’s Dramatique collection. Living up to the ‘blade stunner’ label she has embraced, she describes wearing a gorgeous outfit and “an incredible blade prosthesis with a chandelier on top”. She says: “It was awesome on the catwalk, but then anybody would look amazing surrounded by stylists, hairdressers and make-up artists.” DEVASTATING BLOW

Reid, whose father is from Glasgow and mother is from Darlington, was born in New Zealand and brought up in Canada. She has triple nationality and represented Canada at the Beijing Olympic Games, before switching allegiance at the age of 25 to the country of her parents’ birth. It was during the summer of 2000, when Reid was 15, that she was involved in a boating accident. She became caught up in the propellers of a speedboat on a lake at Port Perry, two hours’ drive from Toronto. She lost her right foot in the accident and surgeons amputated her leg below the knee to save her life. Inevitably, after her accident, she had to cope with anger and bitterness. “I was devastated,” she says. Reid at “I couldn’t imagine my London life without sport.” Fashion A sports-mad teenager, Week she had been fanatical about rugby and running. “My dream had been to play rugby internationally and become a doctor.” She thought her life was over. “I started running again when I was studying at Queen’s 32 Be Healthy Summer 2016

University, in Kingston, Ontario. I was watching some players on the rugby pitch. My leg was so uncomfortable that day. I was in so much pain and I felt such frustration. Then I wondered how fast I could run with only one foot, so I got back out there. I became proud of my body. I took ownership of it again. Sport saved me.” Speaking from her London home, Reid explains that after joining the university athletics team, she began sprinting. “I enjoyed being alone out there after playing team sports. I was pitting myself against myself. When you do that, there’s nowhere to hide. It really is satisfying when endless hours of hard

work are rewarded. I keep fit and work out every day when not training, but I’m not obsessive about it. I don’t work out for hours and hours. When training, I do no more than about three- to four-hour days, six days a week – but I give 100%.” LEAPS AND BOUNDS

She relies on jump training, or plyometrics, to hone her long-jumping skills. “You squat down and jump as quickly and as high as you can. It’s the difference between power and strength. It’s important to be springy, because in the long jump the force used is about five times your body weight while the impact is about seven to 10 times your body weight.” Maintaining her energy levels by adhering to regular sleeping and eating patterns is crucial. “It’s about getting into a routine so that my body knows what’s coming and how to respond when needed. I try to sleep at the

Stef Reid: “I knew I wanted to live my life”

Also on the road to Rio

She dreamed of being a medal-winning swimmer, but Katie Archibald only reached for the stars when she got on her bike When people ask about my ‘meteoric rise’ it’s kind of strange because it’s down to many things – hard work, cycling for fun, then racing at weekends. Mostly, though, it’s the inspiration of Sir Chris Hoy. Not just what he’s achieved, but the way he’s achieved it. Yet even when I made it on to the British programme, I never thought about the Olympics, although I’m always looking for my next goal. Now here I am, on the road to Rio 2016. I don’t love training. It’s the racing I love because there’s nothing like speed – it’s really cool. For me, training is a means to an

end, although hard work’s very satisfying. Three mornings a week, I climb out of bed and on to a static exercise bike to test my heart rate and see what shape my legs are in. It’s always porridge for breakfast – pancakes on Sunday mornings. When training, I eat about 20g of protein every three hours. Out of the gym, I have more carbohydrates, especially curries. Most days I do an easy spin in the mornings, then I’m out on to the track in the afternoons, or maybe do a gym session. I used to be a swimmer, but I rarely cross-train with swimming any more.

Training is a bit like an office job: 9am–12pm then 2–5pm, and it’s 24/7. You get used to feeling a bit tired constantly and not always being able to bound up the stairs. I write a newspaper column, I blog, I do social media, all of which I can do sitting down. Does the pressure ever get to me? If it did, I wouldn’t admit it. The trick is to remain a bit ignorant of it all. I don’t spend time reflecting, although I definitely want to be the best in the world.

PAUL STUART

Does the pressure ever get to me? If it did, I wouldn’t admit it

same times, napping if necessary, and I eat, although I hate feeling full when training. “I have small, high-quality meals at regular intervals to eat myself lean. Protein the size of my palm, carbohydrate the size of my fist, and the rest of the plate loaded with veggies. I love good food – my dad was a chef.” So how does Reid cope with the pressures of competing at the highest levels, particularly when she is married to another high achiever, Canadian wheelchair racer Brent Lakatos, who was a silver medallist at the 2012 Paralympics? “It’s great being married to another athlete, although it can be hard, as we have to be selfish sometimes,” says Reid. “But when he’s competing, it feels like I am too. We’re very supportive of each other. We understand the pressures.” She adds: “Every day I ask myself, ‘Am I better than I was yesterday?’. That is the only thing that matters – a healthy mindset.”

FACT FILE BORN March 1994, Chertsey, England CAREER HIGHS World champion in the team pursuit, 2014. Silver medallist for team pursuit in the 2015 World Championships FACTOID Favourite songs include A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash and Survivor by Destiny’s Child GOAL Rio 2016

Katie Archibald: “There’s nothing like speed”

www.benenden.co.uk 33

NUTRITION

10 ways to eat well Nutritional therapist Lowri Turner shares her top ingredients for healthy eating on a budget

FOR LESS

WORDS: JANE DRUKER

hoose foods packed with goodness but kind on the wallet. It is a simple message, and one that nutritional therapist and television presenter Lowri Turner swears by. As she chooses the nutritious ingredients to stock up on, she explains the ethos of eating healthily on a budget. “The best way to eat healthily and financially stealthily is to buy local, seasonal produce – or tinned and frozen vegetables that are kept in their superior picking state,” she says. “Better still, grow your own.” So, frequent those farmers’ markets to find produce at its freshest, tastiest and most potent, and squirrel away any tinned goods selling on ‘special’ at the supermarket. The added benefit of Turner’s picks is that as vegetables, herbs and spices they are low in calories but pack a powerful, vitamin-rich punch. Visit www.lowriturner.com

34 Be Healthy Summer 2016

Herbs

Mint, parsley and coriander WHY? Gram for gram, herbs pack in more nutrients than all other vegetables. Fresh herbs are an excellent source of vitamin A, which boosts the immune system and is essential for healthy cell growth – skin, hair and nails. Vitamin K is good for brain function. Use herbs in soups, stews, salads and with all or any meat or vegetables.

Mushrooms

These disease protectors come in many varieties. They are chock full of proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Many varieties contain good-for-yourbladder selenium and, like us, produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Oyster mushrooms are a good source or iron. Plus, they are low in calories – eg six medium white have just 22. Delicious in soup and risotto, or simply cooked in butter and herbs on toast. WHY?

Chilli peppers

They are the vitamin C, A and beta-carotene powerhouse. The bright colour of red chilli peppers signals their high content of beta-carotene, or provitamin A. Two teaspoons of red chilli peppers provide about 6% of the daily value for vitamin C and more than 10% of the daily value for vitamin A. Use them in soups, salads and chilli con carne to lift flavour and add depth. Remember to wash your hands after preparing. WHY?

Tinned produce

Tomatoes kidney beans, corn, chickpeas WHY? They have a high antioxidant content packing a powerful vitamin punch. While some vegetables and legumes lose nutrients in the canning process, others’ healthy compounds increase. Canning calls for heating, which causes certain raw vegetables, such as corn and tomatoes, to release antioxidants and make them more available.

GROW YOUR OWN BEANS Green beans grow quickly in mulch so make sure you give them little sticks for stability and support. Water regularly, from the first signs of the pod to full growth. TOMATOES Just put them in a sunny window with moist soil.

CREDIT IN 3MM BOX ALIGNED TOP

Pulses

Lentils, beans, peas WHY? They are cheap and nutritious. A pulse is an edible seed that grows in a pod – beans, peas and lentils for example. They are cheap, low-fat sources of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, and they count towards your recommended five daily portions of fruit and vegetables. And they can be added to stews, chilli con carne and soups.

Brassicas

Broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broad beans WHY? Excellent source of fibre. Brassicas are a family of vegetables known for their disease-fighting substances. Like all veg, they are low in calories, fat and sodium. They also contain phytochemicals, which have a variety of health benefits, including apparent cancer-fighting properties. They are delicious served alone or with a Sunday roast.

Home grown maximises goodness

HERBS Ideally herbs should be grown in a sunny, sheltered spot with well-drained soil. Although most herbs prefer a sunny position there are a few which will happily grow in shady conditions and moist soil, such as parsley, mint and chives. If you are growing herbs from seed, hardy annual or biennials such as parsley, coriander and dill can be sown from March until August. CHILLIS Grow these in a window box, on a warm, sunny windowsill, or in a heated greenhouse. Keep the compost evenly moist but take care not to let it get soaking wet.

www.benenden.co.uk 35

HEALTH

ICEMAN HERO

He has earned the title ‘world’s greatest living explorer’ but, at 72, Sir Ranulph Fiennes still has mountains to climb

WORDS KATHLEEN MORGAN PHOTOGRAPH CHRIS WINTER

hen he was a schoolboy, Ranulph Fiennes overcame his vertigo to scale the heights of Eton College tower with an accomplice. The boys would climb the tower at night so Fiennes couldn’t see what was beneath him, usually leaving a souvenir fluttering from the tower so their peers would see it from the ground and wonder who had done such a thing. “I don’t know whether it was ‘two fingers to you lot’, or the joy of the next day seeing everyone looking up there and not knowing who it was,” says Fiennes, relishing the memory of a steeplejack retrieving his friend’s school blazer from the tower. Such acts of defiance were just the beginning of a lifelong compulsion for Fiennes to tackle danger head on. Across four decades, Fiennes has tested the limits of endurance during expeditions that have taken him from pole to pole, up the world’s highest mountains and through some of the most inhospitable environments. The Guinness Book of Records called him the world’s greatest living explorer, although his passport says he is a travel writer and expedition leader.

Ranulph Fiennes goes solo at the North Pole Along the way, he has broken records and raised more than £18m for charity. And at the age of 72 he is not done: he is planning a record-breaking expedition for 2017, but is coy about what it will involve, or even whether the backdrop will be hot or cold. “Before I die I want 20 million quid on the gravestone,” he says, explaining he is planning another fundraising – and record-breaking – feat. “Next year, we should raise £3m, but we’re not allowed to talk about the expedition … not yet. Otherwise someone else might do it first.” Since the death of his first wife and childhood sweetheart, Ginny, from cancer in 2004, Fiennes has focused his efforts on

raising money to combat the disease. Marie Curie Cancer Care is his charity of choice – last year he raised nearly £1m for the cause when he became the oldest Briton to complete the gruelling desert endurance event the Marathon des Sables. He ran 156 miles over six days in temperatures of more than 50°C. Early in their 36-year marriage, the couple raised sponsorship for their daring exploits and paid the bills with a modest income from the Territorial Army. “The rule was 100% sponsorship or you didn’t go,” says Fiennes. “The TA paid the gas bill for our flat and petrol for the Mini. The other stuff came from lecturing at £18 a time in town halls about what we had done. It’s an easy assumption if somebody has a ‘Sir’ they must have money.” Fiennes later devoted his efforts to charitable causes, encouraged by his patron, Prince Charles. “To begin with Ginny and I didn’t raise money – expeditions didn’t raise money, it wasn’t something you did,” he explains. “But the patron was Prince Charles and, unlike quite a lot of patrons, he didn’t just say ‘Yes, I’ll be a patron’, he made you tell him what you were going to be doing first.

LIFE & TIMES

1944

Born four months after his father, a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Scots Greys, is fatally wounded

36 Be Healthy Summer 2016

1954

Returns to the UK from South Africa to attend prep school then Eton College

1963

Joins his father’s regiment, the Royal Scots Greys, as an officer

1965

Joins the SAS and is the youngest captain in the British army, but leaves before completing his training

1970

Marries childhood sweetheart Ginny Pepper and together they begin a series of record-breaking expeditions

1982

First to reach both poles – with Charles Burton – after a surface circumnavigation of the globe. The expedition took two years and 361 days

REX FEATURES; GETTY; SHUTTERSTOCK

THE MAKING OF AN ICON

It’s an easy assumption if somebody has a ‘Sir’ they must have money www.benenden.co.uk 37

HEALTH HERO

I put my hand under the water to get the sledge rope before it sank. My hand saved the rest of me

After about 12 years of reporting to him that cost him his fingers – and saved what the next expedition would be, I was his skin. sitting at Highgrove and he suddenly said: “I was trying to cross from one flow to ‘Who are we raising money for on this another. There were high tides, the ice was occasion?’ And I said: ‘Nobody, sir, that’s cracking up, it was pitch black and I fell 10ft not part of expeditions’, and he said: ‘Well, down a slope of ice. The sledge weighed I can’t be your patron any more if you’re not 300lb. Rather than be dragged in by the raising money’.” They agreed Fiennes sledge, I hit the quick-release mechanism on would raise funds for the Multiple Sclerosis my belt so everything went into the sea Society, the first of a handful of charities except me. The tent and cooker were my only to benefit from his Herculean efforts. way of staying alive over the next Fiennes raised £4.2m for the hour, so I had to get it back out. Multiple Sclerosis Society. “I had to put my hand Fiennes was born into a under the water to try to semi-noble family that get the sledge rope before arrived in Britain with it sank. My hand saved William the Conqueror. As the rest of me.” a boy, he dreamed of Back in Britain, with following in his father’s the fingers of his left hand Fiennes and footsteps to the Royal deadened by frostbite, his wife, Louise Military Academy Sandhurst, Fiennes was told he needed Millington but was unable to achieve the to wait five months before A-levels he needed for Sandhurst. surgery. Driven to distraction by Even so, he became an accomplished soldier the pain, he had other ideas and used a after joining the Royal Scots Greys, later hacksaw to amputate the dead flesh himself. serving in the SAS as a demolitions expert. Would he describe his actions as brave? He harnessed his appetite for adventure “Not really,” he says. “Not when it hurts and turned instead to record-breaking like hell every time you touch anything. expeditions, forming the small team that Where the dead joins the live is open nerve. can still be found at his side. If you get rid of the 1.5in of dead stuff, it’s It was during a solo trip to the North Pole less likely to touch things the whole time.” in 2000 that Fiennes made a snap decision He admits that the older he gets, the more

1993

Completes the first unsupported crossing of the Antarctic continent with Mike Stroud

2000

Attempts the Arctic Solo Expedition – walking alone and unsupported – to the North Pole. Frostbite claims five fingers

2003

Completes seven marathons in seven days on seven continents – three months after a massive heart attack and double bypass surgery

2005

Makes his first attempt to climb Everest and gets within 300m of the summit

2009

WHO IS YOUR HEALTH HERO?

Let us know who is making a real difference to health in the UK. + HEALTH l Send your nominations to HERO behealthy@benenden.co.uk

Becomes the oldest Briton to reach the summit of Everest

2014

A team of six tackle a 2,000mile journey across the Antarctic in winter. Fiennes pulls out due to frostbite

2015

Completes the Marathon des Sables, bringing the total he has raised to £18m

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; GETTY IMAGES; LIZ SCARFF

Fiennes hauls a sledge during the 1990 North Pole Unsupported Expedition

he thinks about death, although surviving a massive heart attack in 2003 extinguished any fear of it. Three months after double bypass surgery, he went on to raise £2.3m for the British Heart Foundation by completing seven marathons in seven days across seven continents with Mike Stroud. These days, he says, he has two very good reasons to come home from expeditions – he has a nine-year-old daughter with his second wife, Louise Millington. “There’s a slight feeling of guilt when I’m not at home, which there didn’t used to be because Ginny would be there too, and home would be empty,” he says. “Now, with a wife who does other things – horses not expeditions – and a daughter, there is a feeling I oughtn’t to be away and I ought to be at home.” Even so, his appetite for pushing boundaries in extreme conditions is insatiable and it seems he pauses only to write and lecture about his experiences, then plan his next expedition. He laughs wryly. “I have to make a living, and you’re only as good as your last movie.” There is little doubt that next year he will achieve the £20m fundraising target he wants as his epitaph, but the stage for his next adventure remains to be seen.

We sailed the world’s oceans to stop wind noise affecting the quality of speech in sound in our new hearing aid...

Demonstrations are free and if you like what you hear you can extend it to a two-week free trial.

For more information on putting UNIQUE to the test in your unique surroundings, call 0800 612 7994 – quoting UN BH 01

www.bloomhearing.co.uk

We are currently arranging demonstrations in over 60 outlets and branches in England & Wales

arr ang ea Yes I would like t o

Head Office: 111-113 Fore Street, Saltash PL12 6AE email: enquiries@bloomhearing.co.uk

fre ed em

P.S. A demonstration or taking a free trial does not obligate you to buy!

n tio a r st on

new Widex UNIQUE f the o l a i d tr Please complete ALL sections, an including phone number, to receive a free brochure and so we can plan our demonstrations for your area in advance.

Mr/Mrs/Miss

Address Postcode

Tel/Mobile No. Email

Please place your completed form in an envelope and address it to: UN BH 01

Freepost BLOOM HEARING

NOTE: No stamp or other address details are needed!

INSIDE STORY

‘You can treat patients like a person, not a number’ Radiographer Louise Paulin explains how new scanning equipment will improve her work at Benenden Hospital

WORDS SIÂN PHILLIPS PHOTOGRAPH PAUL STUART

lthough they might not meet her face to face, many members visiting Benenden Hospital in Kent will benefit from the work of Louise Paulin. A trained radiographer, Louise is currently head of the department that performs around 16,000 imaging examinations a year, including x-rays, CT and MRI scans, biopsies, ultrasounds, and Doppler and barium studies. “It’s busy, but our department is very patient focused,” says the acting imaging lead, beaming a warm smile. “We go out of our way to help patients, whether that’s over the phone or in person. The patient gets to choose their appointment at their convenience; we’ll often ring people up to arrange this rather than just send a letter out in the post.” Imaging is fundamental to modern diagnosis, explains Louise, who qualified in 2003 and joined Benenden from the NHS in 2014. “Something like 95% of patients who go to hospital will visit a diagnostic imaging department,” she says. Scrolling through the day’s x-ray schedule on screen, she explains her role includes ensuring that appointments line up with the consultants’ timetables,

40 Be Healthy Summer 2016

all the equipment is working well, and the imaging department is properly staffed and trained. She even covers x-ray appointments for the other four radiographers during their lunch breaks. “Every day is different,” she says. “The variety is what I love about my job.” Her hands-on knowledge and visible enthusiasm make her a useful member of the team planning the hospital’s new imaging department. Part of phase two of the multimillion-pound hospital redevelopment, the department will be housed on the ground floor of the Jubilee Wing. It will contain the new £2m state-of-the-art MRI and CT scanners, replacing the hospital’s mobile scanners. “It’ll be great when we have our new imaging department,” says Louise. “It means all our scanning will be in one place and be done by our team.” She wants to become involved in scanning again, she says, as it will put her more in touch with patients. “I miss doing MRI scans because when I was working in the NHS it was a rare opportunity to spend time with patients. When you’re doing CT or x-rays in the NHS

You can spend half an hour with someone and it’s no problem

it’s so rushed through. At Benenden you get time to treat patients like a person and not a number. You can spend half an hour with someone if you want to and there’s no problem.” As the lead on the picture archiving and communication system (PACS), Louise also ensures images created at the hospital are uploaded and available for consultants to use for diagnosis. With the days of film long gone, all images are digital, and radiographers work with cutting-edge, ever-changing technology. Louise also coordinates calling in images from other hospitals. “When patients have their consultation appointments, they are asked to phone to tell us if they’ve had scans done at a hospital elsewhere in the country,” she says. “I will then request these via the national image exchange portal and load the images on to Benenden’s PACS.” It can mean making a lot of phone calls, she says, “but it does save the patient having more x-rays, so we’re minimising their radiation dose, and it helps save time because the consultant can look at the x-rays or scans prior to the appointment. Consultants pull up a screen that allows them to search for the patients by name or by number, and they can see the x-rays from this hospital and other images that have been uploaded from other hospitals.” Louise joined Benenden from Conquest Hospital in Hastings and says she’s glad she made the move, even though it means an hour-long commute each day. “It’s lovely to work here. There’s a nice family atmosphere and everybody is willing to help. Even if they’re having a bad day, staff will go out of their way to support one another.”

FIVE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY JOB

Helping patients: it’s why I was attracted to radiography

Every day is different

There are challenges and you need to be able to think on your feet

You’re always learning because technology is always changing

Everyone helps one another at Benenden – it’s like a family

CREDIT IN 3MM BOX ALIGNED TOP

The lowdown on scans l X-rays Useful for examining fractures or detecting lung problems. l Computed tomography (CT) A detailed scan that can examine the structure of all the internal organs. l Ultrasound Uses high-frequency

sound waves to produce images of the structure of the internal organs, particularly in the abdomen and pelvis. l Doppler ultrasound Used to evaluate blood flow in vessels including major arteries, as

well as veins in the abdomen, arms, legs and neck. l Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the brain, spinal cord and bones.

www.benenden.co.uk 41

Y ourBenenden i ] Getting more from your membership

Let us know what you think In May, our 47 branches will hold ‘mandating meetings’ – the second most important meetings of the year, after the AGM, and key to the democratic process at the heart of Benenden. They ensure the voice of members is heard. All the bright ideas branches want to bring to conference – and any that have come from the committee of management – will be combined in a conference agenda document. This will be brought to each mandating meeting, where members can direct their branch delegation as to how they would like them to vote on each issue. Every member will have been notified of the date and location of their branch mandating meeting and, if the location is inconvenient, members only have to give us a call. We can then discuss with them whether transferring to another branch might allow them a more convenient way of accessing the democratic process. We would encourage any members,

old or new, to go along to their mandating meeting and ensure their views are heard. This can affect what happens at the conference in June. Many of the services we supply – such as physiotherapy and psychological wellbeing – began as ideas suggested by members turning up at meetings. These ideas then found support at conference and eventually became part of our core services, which demonstrates how effective our democratic structure can be. The pull-out leaflet found in this issue of Be Healthy contains a summary of the business that will be discussed at conference. Readers should have a look at the leaflet and, if they feel strongly about any of the issues, come to a mandating meeting to ensure their voice is heard. We look forward to hearing from you.

René Fraioli Society secretary

Join in the debate

Conference 2016 is crucial for allowing members to be heard Benenden members are being urged to make their voices heard in the run-up to the society’s most important meeting of the year. The annual conference, to be held on 16 June at the Hilton Brighton Metropole, will debate issues raised at branch mandating meetings across the UK in the weeks beforehand. And in an effort to involve members across the country, the conference will be streamed

live on the Benenden website for the first time. Julia Marsh, conference and events executive at Benenden, said: “Members can make a fundamental difference to the decisions taken at conference. At their branch mandating meeting, they have the opportunity to share their views and mandate their branch delegation to vote on their behalf.”

Among the issues to be debated at Conference 2016 will be the rules governing the management fund, which is used to pay for the day-to-day running of the society, and there

are four vacancies on the committee of management to which members can be elected. See the Conference 2016 insert with this issue of Be Healthy www.benenden.co.uk 43

Everything you need to know about

Selling your Timeshare FREE GUIDE

SellMyTimeshare.tv cancelled & sold over 2,250 timeshares in 2015!

“Our maintenance bills are too high”

When your Timeshare starts to feel like Sun, Sea and Stress it’s good to know you have options.

“Our family are all grown up now”

Make timeshare work for you...

hether you’re worried about passing maintenance bills to family, finding travel more difficult or perhaps you actually want to travel more - this FREE guide’s an excellent place to start. With 16 pages of independent expert advice it’s easy to make your timeshare work for you.

Be Healthy

eive a

readers can rec

R £30 VOUCHE0 high

over 12 redeemable at luding street stores inc S, John Lewis, M& & Boots*

We’ve helped 1000s of consumers...

“We can’t get the desired exchanges”

ast year we helped 1000s of people ensure that they were still getting the most out of their investment. For whilst the sun may still shine, and the location’s still great, your needs and that of your loved ones will inevitably change over time. Our Timeshare Health check helps you assess if your property is still right for you – and if it isn’t, we offer straight talking and totally independent advice on what to do next. To find out more and to claim your FREE guide call TODAY!

“Our children do not want to inherit our Timeshare”

“We want to travel to different parts of the world”

Timeshare specialists for resorts worldwide Advertise your Timeshare with us for FREE Floating weeks, fixed weeks, points & club memberships

We have listings in nearly every country you may desire. Here are just a few of our recent ones…

Studio, Royal Savoy, Madeira

2 Bed, Macdonald Villacana, Spain

1 Bed, Hollywood Mirage Club, Tenerife

3 Bed, Anfi Emerald Club, Gran Canaria

2 Bed, Lakeland Village, Cumbria

3 Bed, Cameron House, Scotland

FOR YOUR FREE 16 PAGE BROCHURE CALL

0800 012 4881 visit www.SellMyTimeshare.tv

SellMyTimeshare.tv offer services including timeshare resales, client purchases, trade-ins, disposals, alternative leisure & lifestyle products as well as offering advice on getting the most from their existing timeshare ownership *Terms & Conditions apply.

YOUR BENENDEN

Alan Nethercott, right, receives his accolade from Simran Soin

BRITISH CITIZEN AWARD

Tonic for absenteeism Small businesses affected by long-term absenteeism are being offered a boost with the launch of a new healthcare product. Benenden Business Healthcare offers a package of benefits designed to tackle employee absence. The idea is to get a quick initial diagnosis

of symptoms and provide fast access to the right type of care and treatment, helping employees recover, return to work – and keep working. Helen Smith, group business development director at Benenden, said: “Prolonged workplace absence can have a debilitating effect on small

and medium enterprises. We have created a product that helps to positively manage the health of a workforce in a practical and affordable way, in the long and short term, by speeding up access to GP advice.” Visit www.benenden.co.uk/bbh

Membership

Members urged to seek help

BJORN RUNE LIE

Charitable trust grants ease financial hardship Members struggling financially due to medical problems are encouraged to approach Benenden Charitable Trust for help. Thom Craigen, manager of the trust, said members could qualify for assistance if ill

health was at the root of their financial difficulties. “Anyone whose finances are affected negatively by their health should consider making an application,” he said. “Our purpose is to relieve hardship and distress where members are having trouble maintaining their standard of living as a result of

a medical problem, so we are glad to hear from anyone who feels we may be able to help.” Since the trust was launched in 2005, it has received more than 1,000 applications and made over £650,000 in grants. Visit www.benenden.co.uk/ charitable-trust or call 0800 414 8450 for an application form

An octogenarian who raised more than £100,000 for charity has received the British Citizen Award. Alan Nethercott, 80, sold much of his extensive postcard collection to raise money for Exeter Hospiscare. The awards, in partnership with Benenden, are now in their second year.

FLOODING DONATION Benenden has donated £25,000 to help York residents who have been affected by the recent floods. The York Flood Appeal has raised more than £470,000 to help with costs such as household electrical items, furnishing and temporary accommodation.

INTERNATIONAL GATHERING A landmark conference for leaders of cooperatives and mutuals is coming to York, the home of Benenden. The ICMIF Biennial Conference 2016 allows policymakers to meet and shape the future of the sector. Marc Bell, the chief executive officer of Benenden, will join leaders from other organisations dedicated to putting their members at the heart of decision making. www.benenden.co.uk 45

Lower your cholesterol in 3 weeks 1

Exclusive offer

High cholesterol can put you at risk of coronary heart disease. Just 240mg of natural plant sterols per day can help to reduce cholesterol levels.

£2off

What better way to look after your heart.

when you spend £15

90 tablets

£14.45 ★★★★★

based on 1,033 customer reviews

Blocks the absorption of dietary cholesterol One tablet a day maintains normal cholesterol levels 1 Three tablets a day lowers cholesterol levels 1

Nearly 3 million people have trusted us with their health and wellbeing over the last 20 years. To find out more about plant sterols, visit healthspan.co.uk/plantsterols Super Strength Omega 3 Sustainably sourced, supporting your brain heart and eyes. 2

Circulease® Helps maintain a healthy blood flow and blood pressure. With patented natural extract FruitFlow to support healthy circulation. 3, 4

YEARS Est. 1996

90 capsules

FREE UK Delivery 1

£9.45

30 tablets

£13.95

EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE DIRECT FROM:

healthspan.co.uk

FREEPHONE 0800 73 123 77

Nutrition for a healthy lifespan

Beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 1.5g - 3g plant sterols. 2 DHA and EPA are clinically proven to support your brain, heart and vision. Beneficial effects for brain and vision are obtained with a daily intake of 250mg DHA. Beneficial effect for heart health is obtained with a daily intake of 250mg DHA and EPA. 3 Beneficial effect on the blood flow is obtained with a daily intake of 150mg Fruitflow11 (WSTC 11) when taken with a glass of water. Circulease contains potassium which contributes to the maintenance of normal blood pressure. All product prices shown include VAT. At Healthspan our customer charter provides a no-quibble refund on products and guarantees that your personal data will not be passed on to third parties. Free UK delivery now provided by Healthspan. For full Terms and Conditions see www.healthspan.co.uk. Prices and voucher valid until 31.05.16. Single use only and not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. £2 off orders over £15. Healthspan Ltd, PO Box 64, Guernsey, GY1 3BT.

£2 offer code

BEN-ZAP

YOUR BENENDEN

Contact Benenden Membership and service enquires 0800 414 8100* (Lines open 8am–8pm, Mon–Fri)

Health Concern Support 0800 414 8100* (Lines open 8am–8pm, Mon–Fri)

Independent Care Advice Services 0800 414 8100*

24/7 GP Advice Line 0800 414 8247*

Round-the-clock medical advice from a qualified, UK-based doctor is just a phone call away.

Psychological Wellbeing 24/7 Helpline 0800 414 8247*

If you’re feeling overanxious a qualified therapist can offer information about local services that can help with issues such as money worries, relationship problems and bereavement.

(Lines open 8am–8pm, Mon–Fri)

Add family to your membership 0800 414 8470*

(Lines open 8am-5pm, Mon-Fri)

Recommend Benenden

Pass on the recommendation cards included in this edition of Be Healthy

Your three-step guide to contacting us when you need help with obtaining a diagnosis or treatment

1 2 3

First of all, you will need a referral from your GP. You will already have explored NHS waiting times.

If you’re unable to wait for the NHS, ask us if Benenden could assist you.

Registered Office Benenden, Holgate Park Drive, York YO26 4GG

IN FOCUS

Psychological Wellbeing 24/7 Helpline If you’re becoming increasingly stressed or anxious due to a work or personal problem, round-the-clock access to expert advice is just a phone call away. Simply call the Psychological Wellbeing

24/7 Helpline for guidance on a range of topics including: l Stress l Bereavement l Relationship problems l Money worries Our qualified therapists can offer information about

local UK services that will help to put your mind at ease. As a core element of the service, members are given a recommendation and referral for support. Members of six months or more may be offered face-to-face therapy.

Call 0800 414 8247 from the UK or +44 800 414 8247 from abroad www.benenden.co.uk 47

The passion of our junior doctors must be welcomed

Health of a nation

The NHS relies on its dedicated staﬀ – and speaking out – to survive

Backchat Dr Phil Hammond ILLUSTRATION ANNA CRICHTON

48 Be Healthy Summer 2016

he first junior doctors’ strike in 40 years could be the making or breaking of the NHS. The optimistic view is that the bravery of junior doctors in speaking up in such numbers will inspire all front-line staff to find their voice, expose the spin and get involved in improving the health service. The NHS is unusual in that it has so few clinicians in senior management, yet the best hospitals globally tend to be run by clinicians. The less optimistic view is that doctors are being deprofessionalised to line them

up as employees in a more corporatised NHS, and that the breakdown in trust between this government and the front line is irreversible. Applications to medical school dropped by 11% in 2015, and also fell in the two years prior. Just over half of junior doctors who finish their foundation training take a break from the NHS and some will never return. We have fewer doctors per head of the population than most western countries. If we lose many more, the future of our NHS will indeed be bleak. But I’m an optimist. The passion of our junior doctors

must be welcomed. To improve our NHS, we need an honest appraisal of the state it is really in, and patients, carers and front-line staff are the best smoke alarm we could have. The junior doctor protests have attracted thousands of senior doctors, nurses, other NHS staff and members of the public, all saying that our health and social care system is dangerously overstretched. So what can we do about it? Those of us lucky enough to be healthy have a responsibility to try to remain so – every day we don’t need to use our NHS, someone else benefits. Sadly, austerity is not only bad for public services, but for mental health, leading to a rise in anxiety, depression and suicide attempts. And those who have mental illness are more likely to have poor physical health too. The NHS is remarkably good value for money: we each get universal healthcare for around £2,000 a year, while the GP service costs just £120 per person annually. The rich pay more knowing they are helping those who have least. But if we all paid a little extra, we would be able to do so much more. The NHS and social care system is facing a 10-year funding squeeze. We can’t always cope with the demand of patients living longer and with multiple illnesses. We can save our NHS and social care system, but only if we’re prepared to pay – and if our politicians are brave enough to ask us to. Dr Phil Hammond is appearing in two comedy shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 5–27 August. Visit www.edfringe.com

www.ruarkaudio.com

R2 streaming music system

MR1 bluetooth speaker system

made for music We are a family-owned British company, passionate about sound and design. With our heritage in worldclass high-fidelity speakers, today we’ve applied our skills to create a new generation of perfectly formed music systems with wide ranging appeal. Whether you’re looking for beautiful design or perfect sound, we think you’ll be impressed by what we have to offer. Most importantly, all our products are engineered to last, with qualities you will cherish and enjoy for years to come.

R1 deluxe tabletop radio

R4 integrated music system

Designed and engineered in the UK

R7 high fidelity radiogram 01702 601410

Travel Happy with insurance you can trust Up to 15% discount for Benenden members

Benenden Travel Insurance Look forward to happier holidays

Travel Insurance with real peace of mind

Planning a city break, cruise or a family beach getaway? While you take care of the sun cream and shades, let Benenden take care of you just in case something unexpected happens. With cover for all ages and all medical conditions considered, our flexible and comprehensive travel insurance is built to look after you. Book your next holiday with the reassurance that someone you trust has you covered and be travel happy with Benenden.

• 24hr Emergency Assistance throughout your holiday • Cover for all ages and all medical conditions considered • Flexible cover with three levels to choose from plus optional add-ons

Single Trip

Multi Trip

quote BENSUN10

quote BENSUN15

10% off†

15% off†

More to feel happy about... Planning to go away more than once this year? You can save time and money on our annual multi-trip.

Call one of our insurance specialists today 0800 414 8301*

www.benenden.co.uk/healthytravel3

†The 10% promotional discount is available to all Benenden members who quote BENSUN10 when taking out a single trip policy and 15% discount when taking out an annual multi-trip policy by quoting BENSUN15. Offer is available to new policies only. Benenden reserve the right to alter, amend or withdraw this offer at any time *Lines open for Sales 8am-10pm Monday to Friday, 9am-5:30pm Saturday and Sunday. Please note that your call will be recorded for our mutual security and for training purposes. Benenden is a trading name of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited and its subsidiaries. Benenden Travel Insurance is offered by Benenden Wellbeing Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FS Register No 593286). Benenden Wellbeing Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Benenden Healthcare Society Limited. Benenden Wellbeing Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No 08271017). Registered Office: Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG.For any Benenden Travel Insurance policy which includes an insured person aged 66 or above, the insurance is arranged and administered by AllClear Insurance Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FS Register No 311244). AllClear Insurance Services Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No 4255112). Registered Office: AllClear House, 1 Redwing Court, Ashton Road, Romford, RM3 8QQ. For all other Benenden Travel Insurance policies, insurance is arranged and administered by Insure & Go Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FS Register No 309572). Insure & Go Insurance Services Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company No 04056769). Registered Office: One Victoria Street, Bristol Bridge, Bristol, BS1 6AA. AD/BEHEALTHY/JW/03.16

Conference 2016 16 June 2016 • Brighton

Dear Member Earlier in the year, I wrote to you to invite you to attend the meetings that your Branch was arranging during 2016. Those first meetings, the Branch AGMs, have now taken place and the Branches have submitted the items (known as Propositions or ‘Motions’) that they wish to debate at the Society’s forthcoming Conference in June. You will find the list of these overleaf. The Committee of Management has also submitted propositions to Conference and the detail of these can also be found below. These propositions will now be discussed at your next Branch meeting (known as the ‘Mandating Meeting’) where members will have the opportunity to vote on each proposition and mandate, or instruct their Conference representatives how to vote. The Mandating Meeting is a great opportunity for you to share your opinions about the proposals that are coming to Conference this

year, and they allow every member’s voice to be heard in our democratic process. I do hope that you are encouraged to attend your Branch Mandating Meeting and that you find this summary of Conference business interesting. To find out when your Mandating Meeting will be held, and to

register your intention to attend, please visit the Member Area of our website www.benenden.co.uk. The meeting details can also be found on the address sheet that accompanies your Be Healthy magazine. If you have already let us know that you will be attending your meeting, you don’t need to register again. This year Conference will be held on Thursday 16th June and for the first time we will be streaming the event live on our website. You can watch Conference as it happens by visiting https://members.benenden. co.uk/conference and logging into the Member Area.

René Fraioli Society Secretary Benenden, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG thesecretary@benenden.co.uk

Committee of Management Propositions l The Committee of Management will be submitting two propositions this year. The first is a rule amendment which will be taken as part of a Special Conference at the beginning of the day. The rule amendment is seeking to alter Rule 39 which details the Management Fund of the Society.

The purpose of the Management Fund is to protect the funds available for member benefits. The current rule has remained unchanged since 1951 and, as a result of the recommendations made by member representatives on the Management Fund Working Group, the Committee of Management would like to introduce a replacement rule

titled “Society Expenses” which will provide a more modern, transparent rule, fit for purpose in today’s environment. l The second proposition is a motion to increase the monthly contribution rate for a member or nominee to £9.10 per person from 1st April 2017. The proposed rate will support our delivery of an improved range of services and the future sustainability of the Society.

Conference 2016 16 June 2016 • Brighton

BRANCH PROPOSITIONS Branches have submitted a total of 16 motions for discussion at Conference this year and a summary of their content is provided below. NEW PRODUCTS / SERVICES l HMRC Branch Consider the opportunities for the Society within the field of Primary Care by bidding for particular NHS Clinical Commissioning Group service contracts, or by the provision of GP services. l Lancashire & Cumbria Branch Explore the possibility of supporting treatment for Lymphedema. l Mersey Branch Investigate the feasibility of establishing a hospice facility at Benenden Hospital. l Romford & Ilford Branch Investigate the feasibility of employing a Nephrology Consultant at Benenden Hospital. l Western Counties Branch Investigate the possibility of making the discounted self-funded services that are offered to members at Benenden Hospital available to members on the same basis at our approved hospitals. CURRENT SERVICES l East Anglia Branch Review the information provided to members

when support for a course of outpatient or ancillary treatment is agreed. l Essex Branch Maintain the principle of equality of service to mutual members and members of the Benenden Business Healthcare scheme by ensuring that discretionary provision of services is common to both types of membership. l Essex Branch Reclassify the entitlement of members of the core product to the level offered to members of Benenden Business Healthcare by removing the discretionary element from the current terms and conditions of the core product. l HMRC Branch Review the Society’s guidelines for discretionary funding support to ensure that members are not disadvantaged by reason of where they live and/or the way particular NHS services are delivered in a location. l North Yorkshire & Humberside Branch Increase the Local Diagnostic Service funding from £1,500 to £1,800. l North Yorkshire & Humberside Branch Review the working of health care procedures for the current Local Diagnostic and Treatment services contracts and

l The full details of the Conference propositions and other Conference paperwork will be available on the Member Area of the website from Monday 16th May. If you would like a hard copy of the documents please contact the Society Secretary on the details below.

report the benefits/ savings achieved with an outline of options available once these contracts end. l Romford & Ilford Branch Provide an annual performance report on the health services that Benenden offers. DEMOCRACY / GOVERNANCE l Mersey Branch Define what is meant by the term ‘strategic development of the Society’ which appears in the Society’s Rulebook within Rule 13.1 ‘enabling all Branch members to participate in the strategic development of the Society by attending Branch meetings’. l Midlands West Branch Provide an explanation why the Committee of Management has not co-opted an eligible person to fill the vacant post on the Committee of Management. l Nottingham & Derby Branch Investigate the feasibility of changing the Society’s Branch structure in order to have a common policy for National Branch attribution in both Northern Ireland and England/Scotland/Wales. l South Central Branch Review the effectiveness of the current arrangements for engaging and involving members in the democratic processes of the organisation.

l If you are not able to attend your meeting but would still like to give your views, please forward your comments to thesecretary@benenden.co.uk or write to the Society Secretary, Benenden, Holgate Park Drive, York, YO26 4GG before the date of your Branch’s Mandating Meeting.