Stress Incontinence Services Survey MADAM - May I , through your columns, thank my colleagues most warmly for responding so magnificently to my recent questionnaire surveying the physiotherapy services for stress incontinence. To date we have had an 90% response and they are still coming in. My colleague Dr Versi is flabbergasted and tells everyone he meets. I expect 100% of course, so it is not too late for those last few to be sent in.

The first 8OYo are already on the computer and a paper will be published as soon as time

permits. However, some respondents have failed to give me the average number of female patients with stress incontinence they treat per annum as out-patients. I would be grateful to receive any outstanding figures because there appears to be considerable variation between health authorities.

JILL MANTLE MCSP Physiotherapy Department The London Hospital Whitechapel London E l 1BB

Retirement Thanks MADAM - I would like to thank everyone for their good wishes on my retirement this April, and also for their generous contributions towards the golf equipment which was presented to me at a most memorable leaving party. No excuses now for reducing my handicap1

ANGELA FORSTER MCSP DipTP Former Principal Normanby College Kings College Hospital London SE5

media watch There is good and bad news this quarter. The good news is that it has been a bumper period for Chartered physiotherapists appearing in the press, on radio and television; the bad news is that many fine examples have had to be excluded from this report because of space limitations. Whether your success is included or not, please keep sending your cuttings and stories to the CSP Public Relations Department; it helps us build a picture of what is going on.

Audience Participation Linda Alner, superintendent physiother-

apist at the Hemel Hempstead Hospital, appeared on the Kilroy programme (BBC 1) on February 1; it was an edition devoted to the newly published White Paper on the NHS. Unlike most people on the show, Linda actually managed to ask Health Minister Roger Freeman a question: 'Who would be responsible and pay for physiotherapy rehabilitation and aftercare if patients are sent out of a District for the most cost- effective operation?' One gathers that Mr Freeman didn't have a clue!

Not Quite so Lucky We are aware that at least three groups

of physiotherapists have been on 'Question Time' (BBC 1) during the last two months. Members from Tayside, Oxford and North- East Thames prepared their questions after much thought but, unfortunately, none was called. Nevertheless, they enjoyed the experience of seeing how television programmes are made. If you are asked to be part of an audience for this or any other type of programme, do give the PR Department a ring, both to let us know and to chat about possible questions. .

Very Special Physiotherapists at the Fleming Fulton

School in Belfast were featured on a BBC 1 programme about their school on January 26. An excellent photograph highlighting the programme, 'A very special school', appeared in the Belfast Telegraph the same week.

Physiotherapists at Blackfriars School in Newcastle under Lyme were quick to respond to an article in the Evening Sentinel about children having to go to the Peto Institute to receive treatment enabling

them to walk. They wrote a first rate article about their school and this appeared on February 2. Christine Handley was photo- graphed teaching children to sit properly, while Christine Powys' work was described in the article.

Physiotherapists at the Dovers Green Physically Handicapped Unit in Redhill were in the same position and responded equally vigorously and successfully. They organised an enormous article in the Surrey Mirror in February to counter the usual myths. Gill' Brown and Barbara Munroe, physiotherapists at the unit, were featured and photographed in the article.

Careering About A new booklet about various careers in

community care was published recently by the Careers and Occupational Information Centre; as you would expect, there was a piece about a Chartered physiotherapist. Margaret Jater is a superintendent physio- therapist who specialises in working with elderly people and neurological patients. Margaret was extensively quoted about her work, as well as photographed with a huge pile of Zimmer frames.

A Quick Response Pays Off Christine Whiteway, a physiotherapist at

Epsom District Hospital, was incensed when a doctor on Pete Murray's LBC programme advised someone with a back injury to visit an osteopath as manipulation was unavail- able on the NHS. She fired off a letter to Pete Murray pointing out the facts and, within two weeks, a Chartered physiotherapist was on the programme talking about back care. (There's a lesson here for everyone. Don't simmer for weeks or kick the furniture; get off a letter or telephone straight away.)

The Laura Mitchell Spot You can't keep Laura Mitchell out of the

news. While journalists tend to harp on about her age all the time, this is not the place to mention such detail. Suffice it to say that Laura has been written about on several occasions this quarter. These include a marvellous review of her new book, The Magic o f Movement, in Everywoman magazine in March.

Elbows Off the Table? Many physiotherapists attend careers

events these days to help promote the profession. Two who were photographed in their local paper advising youngsters recently are Claire Stratford-Cole and Frances Salmon. They were snapped by the Essex Chronicle at a Chelmsford school careers convention with a model of a knee and another unidentifiable object on the table.

Write Back Again Sue Stone, PRO for the Croydon Branch,

was unhappy about an article on backache in an April edition of Woman's Own. It was yet another case of a doctor suggesting all sorts of alternative therapies but not physiotherapy. Sue sent them a letter on the day the magazine was published, pointing out that physiotherapy existed and that physiotherapists knew a bit about backache.

Bank Job Alison Hills, a senior physiotherapist at

East Surrey Hospital, appeared on a schools TV programme about NHS careers earlier this year. She was on 'Job Bank' on BBC 2, as was Robert Bates, a student at the West London Institute, who was on a neurological placement at the time. (We are always looking for physiotherapists to appear on a variety of radio and TV programmes, and are grateful that so many of you are prepared to co-operate.)

Taking Advantage of MPs Having arranged a meeting with Richard

Needham, Minister in Northern Ireland with responsibility for health matters, the NI Board PRO set about extracting as much

~ y s i o ~ e r a p ~ , May 1989, vol75, no 5 27 1

Children speak a lot of good sense, especially after they have had a visit from a physiotherapist. Helen Ardagh, PRO for the Cornwall Branch, has encouraged young children to write and draw about back care. This painting by Darren Sweet of Carclaze Junior School, St Austell, is a recent result

coverage from the event as possible. Sharyn OccuDational Health Williams sent out press releases both before and after the meeting - and these were featured in the Belfast Telegraph - and organised a photograph of the event for Therapy Weekly. If at first you succeed, keep going1

Stress Factor Jennifer Draspa's particular emphasis on

psychological aspects of treatment was widely featured in national newspapers in March. The Times's health page had a big article about her work on March 16.

Exhibiting Ourselves Many members have organised exhibitions

and open days during the last quarter and all of them deserve congratulations. One who reported back to us is Robert Bryden, senior physiotherapist in the care of the elderly unit at Torbay Hospital. He organised a highly successful stand at a 'Needs of the Elderly Disabled Exhibition' in Torquay. Do let us know about your exhibition work; we can offer advice and help.

The increasing interest of large companies in employing physiotherapists in occupa- tional health departments offers a great opportunity for publicity in corporate newspapers and magazines. Brenda Blair was featured in the February edition of Smoke Signals, the house journal of Gallagher Tobacco. She was pictured giving advice to employees on lifting techniques.

Scandal In one of the most bizarre pieces of

publicity given to a physiotherapist for a long time, Alexandra Hough appeared in various national newspapers in March because of something that happened 25 years ago. In 1962 she was the person who alerted the police to the fact that Christine Keeler's ex- lover was firing a gun at Stephen Ward's flat. Although only 15 at the time, she was obviously deeply affected by the fact that someone was firing at an osteopath . . . and so became a physiotherapist. She is now working at St Thomas's Hospital, London.

Murphy's Lore Manchester physiotherapist, Kevin

Murphy, gave advice to a doctor and members of the public on television in April. He appeared on ITV's 'This Morning' programme to discuss sports injuries. He examined the show's resident doctor's injured knee and then fielded viewers' questions alongside Tommy Docherty, former football manager.

Salad Daze A physiotherapist who is active in the

Social and Liberal Democrats press-released his speech to their spring conference in Bournemouth. Steve Bell successfully moved a motion condemning the Government's White Paper. In his press release, which was picked up by Therapy Weekly, he quoted from his speech. If you are addressing any sort of conference, don't forget to press- release your speech and then send the PR Department a copy.

Talking Around Community groups in Kingston upon

Thames don't know what's hit them these days. They are being bombarded by local physiotherapists giving talks about their work. The Branch PR0,Alison Blaney, is due to talk to three National Childbirth Trust groups on body-care in pregnancy and early motherhood, and a local women's club on fitpess for the over 40s. She has also organised other physiotherapists to talk to Round Table groups.

Going West A new private practice in west London

was featured in the Ealing Gazette in February. Christine Waters opened her doors to discover two famous people waiting to be treated; her first patients were Mike Smith and Sarah Greene, still recovering from their horrific helicopter crash last year.

NHS Action Once the facts of the Government's White

Paper on the'future of the NHS were known, a Liverpool steward got down to the task of telling people what she and her colleagues thought about it. Judy Smallwood wrote to her local MP and to members of the local council. Her letter was quoted on the local radio station and she was invited to speak to a meeting of councillors. Why not get some coverage for your views on the White Paper?

f 1 per copy Benesh Movement Notation Sitting and Seating Lifting Patients Incontinence

Journal Reprints €2 per copy Physiotherapy in Psychiatry Parkinson's Disease Management, Modules Mental Handicap Therapeutic Ultrasound

f3 per copy Orthotics

f l for five single sheets Tying a Shoe Lace One-handed

All post free sbrface mail. Payment with orders to Department LP, 14 Bedford Row, London WC1R 4ED.

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Physiotherapy, May 1989, vol75, no 5