MJA members shine on shortlists

Members of the Medical Journalists’ Association have put on a strong showing in shortlists for the 2018 British Journalism Awards for public interest journalism.

Four members are among those in the race for the Science and Health Journalism award:

Gareth Iacobucci – The BMJ:

• CCGs restrict access to surgery as funding pressures grow
• Bank mis-selling costs GPs millions
• Sanctions hit more GPs in poor areas

Catherine Jones – 5 News:

• 5 News reports on mental health failings in the UK

Warren Manger – The Mirror:

• Terrifying new elephant poaching epidemic to meet demand for ‘health’ jewellery made from their skin
• I was kidnapped by elephant poachers who beat me and held me captive for three days.. I’m lucky to be alive
• Our little girl died waiting for a heart …but her kidneys saved another soul

And Deborah Cohen – BMJ:

• Oxford TB vaccine study calls into question selective use of animal data
• Cancer drugs: high price, uncertain value
• Back to blame: the Bawa-Garba case and the patient safety agenda

The same trio of articles secured Deborah a place on the shortlist for the Specialist Journalism category, where she is up against some tough competition from MJA colleagues:

Shaun Lintern – HSJ/Buzzfeed:

• Exclusive: Two patients attacked and killed on acute hospital ward
• Exclusive: Dozens more maternity failings exposed at scandal hit trust
• These NHS staff were told the Swine Flu vaccine was safe, and now they’re suffering the consequences

Patrick Strudwick – Buzzfeed:

• Landlords are offering young men free rooms in return for sex and Facebook is letting it happen
• This gay man was given repeated electric shocks by British doctors to make him straight
• This is what it’s like when your son dies from the chemsex drug GHB

And the BBC’s Nick Triggle — who won Blogger of the Year at this year’s MJA Awards may have to find a larger trophy cabinet as he has also been shortlisted for Innovation of the Year for his NHS Tracker:

• NHS waits for cancer care, A&E and ops worsen across UK

Good luck to you all.