PHA drafted in for gastric band brief

Obesity surgeons Shaw Somers and Guy Slater specialise in bariatric surgery; fitting gastric bands and gastric bypasses. The pair are currently featured on Discovery Home and Health's Fat Doctor series, in which they try to help the UK's morbidly obese lose weight. They recently treated BBC presenter Jay Hunt.

Phil Hall's agency will manage their personal profiles and their company Streamline Surgical.

The move comes just days after it was reported in the national press that a mother bled to death hours after being fitted with a gastric band.

Account manager Shelley Frosdick said the aim of the campaign was 'to educate people and raise awareness of bariatric surgery and dispel some of the myths'.

PHA Media will target consumer press, focusing on national newspapers and women's magazines, placing patient success stories.

Meanwhile, The Harley Medical Group's agency Rain Communications has launched a three-month campaign around a new procedure to remove fat from another area to be used to enlarge breasts.