#MyNameIs not being invited to #NHS14Expo on #NHSChangeDay to talk about #dementia

One of the more nauseating aspects of #NHS14Expo were people asking me as usual why I hadn’t gone to #NHS14Expo.

It’s quite simple.

I wasn’t invited.

I had a chat with Martin Rathfelder, the Director of the Socialist Health Association, about it. I’m currently on their Central Council.

Like one of my followers @RoyLilley, I have a vague interest in English health policy – as evidenced perhaps by my 300 blogposts on the matter this year?

“You would have loved it Shibley! You should’ve come!”

Arrggghhh.

But then Martin suggested a number of routes by which I could legitimately come next year – one of them was joining a CCG, or becoming a NHS Foundation Trust governor.

I do have a cursory interest in postgraduate medicine, and have in fact written some books on it.

Martin also suggested I could capitalise on an interest in long term conditions.

As is well known, I survived a six week coma due to meningitis in 2007. That’s how I became physically disabled. I’ve been in recovery from alcohol ever since, and successfully regulated (and rehabilitated) by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who oversee lawyers.

Martin also suggested dementia as an inroad.

I have an interest in this too.

My paper in Brain in 1999 was the first to explain the symptoms of frontal dementia.

It has been quoted over 300 times by major labs.

It’s even in the current Oxford Textbook of Medicine in their chapter on dementia.

My pal Prof John Locke politely suggested that, as I had actually done a MBA, I was more than capable of marketing my own book.

In fact, in that MBA I also did come top of innovation in the year (though I did come top of both domestic and international marketing too).

Or is it because I am a total social recluse?

Tell that to my 11.7K followers on @legalaware, including David Nicholson, NHS England’s CEO.

David’s Twitter is @DavidNichols0n and his colleagues Clare Gerada (@clarercgp) and Alistair Burns (@ABurns1907) who also follow me.

Tell also fellow followers @helenbevan and @JoeMcCrea1966, two of the principal architects of #NHSChangeDay.

Or is it that I didn’t do a pledge for #NHSChangeDay?

No – I did a pledge. It’s here.

I’ll think about Martin’s advice.

On a happier note, I’ve been given a desk to do my research questionnaire on perception of #G8Dementia at a one day conference in Scotland.

Glasgow of course was where I was born. I like their dementia policy too.

And they’ve given me a chance to talk about my evidence-based book on living well with dementia – it’s here, and my marketing opportunities are non-existent.

Of course, I wasn’t actively excluded.

And one final note.

My book on ‘Living well with dementia’ is here – go and buy it, I beg you! Pleeeeeezzzzzzzzzz

Rant over.