Did ‘Silly Season’ just get serious? What health PR can learn from the stories that shaped this summer

Politicians have just returned from recess, holiday out-of-office messages are being turned off and once again we’re emerging from what the UK media affectionately calls ‘silly season’.

This summer there have been some big news stories – at home, for example, a new prime minister, and abroad, Iran and Nepal have understandably drawn attention.

But traditionally, it’s the time of year associated with quirky headlines, slow news days and journalists searching for stories to fill the gaps while parliament, the courts and much of the corporate world takes a summer break.

However, in contrast, we had quite a busy summer, with lots of pitching and conversations with journalists. So, we took a moment to take stock and reflect on the health headlines that dominated the summer, and asked ourselves: Is the term silly season still, ‘in season’?

In recent weeks, health coverage has been dominated by stories about extreme heat, stretched health services, inequalities in access to care and the changing role of medicines in society. None of these stories feel particularly light-hearted. In fact, they point to a much bigger shift: the issues dominating the summer headlines are increasingly societal, not seasonal.

We quickly realised that we’re not just ‘filling in the gaps’ with our pitching now, everything is becoming a health story. We’re now contributing to conversations that are shaping wider public discourse, with a health angle.

Britain’s favourite conversation starter now comes with a health warning

We couldn’t discuss UK headlines without discussing the weather. Whether it’s an alert on your phone or the next story about a wildfire in Europe, the climate became central to a high proportion of stories this summer. And with the uptick of heatwave stories comes the uptick of health stories.

Historically, a spell of hot weather may have seen a handful of seasonal lifestyle pieces and advice on keeping cool or which fan to buy. This summer, we saw headlines about hospital wards reaching dangerous temperatures, nurses becoming unwell at work, pressure mounting on NHS services and concerns about medicines being able to withstand the heat. What was once a light-hearted weather story is now a broader conversation about our healthcare infrastructure in the face of challenging weather conditions. This speaks to a wider trend we’re seeing, where health stories are appearing in places where we might not expect to find them.

The boundaries of health are blurring

What became glaringly obvious this summer, is that health stories aren’t just restricted to the health pages. The season has revealed how we’re now looking at health more broadly, with stories ranging from how Gen Z is kissing less to growing concerns about loneliness, social connection and their impact on wellbeing. We even saw a flurry of articles on ‘sleepmaxxing’, the growing social media trend of optimising your sleep and essentially your health. The common thread is an increasingly holistic view of health, one that encompasses societal, behavioural and lifestyle factors alongside healthcare itself.

As audiences become more aware of the factors that shape their wellbeing, along with having the tools to actively take control over their health, journalists are finding health angles in more unique stories that might once have sat firmly outside the category.

What does this mean for healthcare PR teams?

‘Silly season’ certainly got serious. Especially for health. This summer has demonstrated that health remains a headline-driving topic even during traditionally quieter months, reflecting its growing importance in public debate.

Pay attention to the forces influencing health. Public conversations about climate, work, technology, relationships and inequality are becoming health conversations too. This is an opportunity for brands to engage in timely conversations that are shaping media discourse.

Find the health dimension in wider cultural moments. As people’s autonomy over their health strengthens, the most compelling health stories are increasingly found at the intersection of health and everyday life, spanning the way we live, work and interact with the world around us.

If you’d like to chat about how we can help turn your health story into a headline contact our team at [email protected].