MHF information sources win BMA awards

MHF information resources have been recognised in the annual BMA Awards.

The MHF mini-manuals Men And Babies and Men And Work, produced through our partnership with Haynes, were commended in this month's 2009 British Medical Association annual medical book awards while the MHF's health information site 4.7MB version was commended in the Patient Information Award (Electronic Media) category.

The collaboration with Haynes began in 2002 and has built successfully on the appeal of popular car-maintenance manuals to males. The manuals are written by MHF president Dr Ian Banks in plain English with a touch of humour plus explanatory photographs, diagrams and cartoons, diagnosis (fault-finding) charts and useful contacts.

Awards encourage excellence

Men And Babies is from a series of male-targeted health information booklets while Men And Work was produced specifically for Men's Health Week 2008. Ian Banks said: 'We do have good evidence that these manuals reduce the delay in men seeking professional health advice even so future editions may well need the axiom "When all else fails please read the instruction manual” because we still have a long way to go in addressing mens use of primary care services'.

Malehealth editor Jim Pollard said: 'I was delighted to see the site commended once again by the BMA. We're currently overhauling the Forum's sites to bring them up to date with modern media technology so to win an award before this is implemented is a real tribute to the "by men for men” content of malehealth.'

The influential BMA competition encourages and rewards excellence in medical publishing. Doctors and educators appraise entries to the competition. The reviewers are asked to consider accuracy, currency, originality, book production quality and whether the title meets the needs of its audience. The appraisals and the books themselves are then evaluated by specialist panels. 

• 4.7MB version
• 4.7MB version.