EDITION 936
12 SEPTEMBER 2022

There is no escaping it: too much news is bad for you. It should come with a government health warning: “This intellectual diet is fine taken in small doses, and preferably in weekly instalments, via a well-balanced newsletter, such as 10 things from William Montgomery."

So, as another week slips by, here are 10 things which caught my attention and may have escaped yours. Please feel free to share on social media and forward to your colleagues and friends so they can also subscribe, learn and engage. I would be very grateful if you did.

William Montgomery
Editor and CEO of TEN

1. How to take care of your heart. Around eight million Britons take statins every day to cut their risk of heart attacks and stroke, but there have long been concerns about their side effects. However, there are many other ways to take care of your heart. READ MORE >>

2. Tributes paid to ‘kind-hearted Queen’. The Queen’s son, King Charles III, has said the death of his mother would be “deeply felt” around the world. Prime Minister Liz Truss said the Queen had “provided us with the stability and strength that we needed” and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, expressed his “profound sadness”. France’s Emmanuel Macron recalled “a kind-hearted Queen” who was “a friend of France”. US President Joe Biden described her as “more than a monarch”, saying she “defined an era”. Canada’s Justin Trudeau said that “in a complicated world, her steady grace and resolve brought comfort to us all”. She was one of my favourite people in the world and I was proud to serve in her Royal Navy for 26 years. She led us with grace and an unwavering commitment to duty. She was an incredibly gracious and decent woman and I will miss her. Rest in peace Ma’am.Editor

3. The desire for meaningful work. More people than ever say that what matters to them most about the work that they do, is what it means. There is growing evidence that workers who feel a sense of greater purpose tend to perform better. 70% of employees say they define their sense of purpose by their work. When work feels meaningful, respondents say, they perform better, are much more committed, and are about half as likely to look for a new job. But what makes work meaningful? Is it contributing to a higher cause? Putting your skills to use? Feeling part of a team? Or, is it what earning a wage allows you to do outside work? Let us know in our latest poll. VOTE HERE >>

4. Voters have little confidence in the new prime minister. In a new YouGov survey,  54% of Conservative voters – and 67% of all voters – say they have either no confidence, or not very much confidence, that Liz Truss’s Government will have the right policies and plans to tackle the cost-of-living crisis. Only 2% of all voters and 5% of Tory ones have a lot of confidence. 50% of all voters are disappointed that Truss is the new PM; 22% are pleased. Among Conservatives, 34% are disappointed and 41% are pleased. 52% of all voters think Truss will be a poor or terrible PM; 12% expect her to be a good or a great one. Only 24% think she will be better than Boris Johnson. The Independent

5. How to produce a better resume. Design, templates, structure, and formatting are some of the key pointers professionals consider when compiling resumes that aim to grab recruiters’ attention. However, using the right words is even more important. And the two words I am completely against using are: responsible for. Being responsible for something is just a circumstance. Saying you were ‘responsible for [X]’ is a weak and generic way to describe your abilities and accomplishments. Job seekers should also stay away from vague and confusing phrases like game plan, deep dive, flesh out, and team player. Amongst the words that do work well include managed, trained, contributed, collaborated, established, defined, advanced, identified, and inspired. Editor

6. New malaria jab is ‘world-changing’. Scientists at the University of Oxford say they have developed a malaria vaccine with “world-changing” potential. They said they already have a deal to manufacture more than 100m doses a year and they expect it to enter use next year after trials showed up to 80% protection against the deadly disease. The charity Malaria No More said recent progress meant child mortality from malaria could end “in our lifetimes”. The World Health Organization estimates that malaria caused more than 640,000 deaths in 2020, nearly all in sub-Saharan Africa. BBC

7. Millions pushed to private healthcare. Millions of patients are being forced to pay for private healthcare amid record NHS waiting lists, according to a survey by charity Engage Britain. One in 10 (10%) adults in the UK has turned to the private sector or independent healthcare in the last 12 months, and, of those, almost two-thirds (63%) did so because they faced long delays or could not access treatment on the NHS. Almost half (46%) were forced to reduce their spending in other areas, raid savings, or plunge themselves into financial debt to pay for it. The Guardian

8. The future of high Street banking. As banks close high street branches, many worry about accessing their accounts. Now, 13 banking hubs, bringing together multiple banks in one place, are planned for locations in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in an effort to ensure access to cash. The hubs would be run by the Post Office, with overheads shared between the banks. Each one would allow customers of any bank to withdraw and deposit funds, and once a week, a representative of each bank would be available to handle more complex enquiries. So far only one prototype branch has opened, which customers have described as "a lifeline". Forbes

9. Johnson in line for riches. Boris Johnson is in line for an £18,000 “golden goodbye” and an annual allowance of up to £115,000 after resigning. The former PM will receive severance pay of £18,860 – a quarter of his prime ministerial salary of £75,440 – just for stepping down and will also be eligible for the public duty costs allowance, which allows ex-PMs to claim staffing, office and other expenses of up to £115,000 a year. Johnson is also expected to make millions from his memoirs, journalism and public speaking. 13 banking hubs, bringing together multiple banks in one place, are planned for locations in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland in an effort to ensure access to cash. iNews

10. The bottom line. An estimated 1.3 million Britons now regularly take their clothes off in public, suggesting that there are more naturists in this country than practising Anglicans, estimated at 1.24 million. The Guardian