After many years of campaigning by colleagues across the male health and wellbeing sector, on November 19th International Men’s Day the Government published its first ever national Men’s Health Strategy for England. 

It is more than 18 months since (now) Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced his intention to introduce such a strategy and exactly one year after he announced its formal adoption. In the interim, our sector has been hard at work advising and submitting evidence to inform the preparation and delivery of the strategy document. 

As we go to press, we have yet to see full details of the strategy and will be giving the full document close consideration along with our colleagues and partners across the sector, but top line commitments include more funding for research dedicated to men’s physical and mental health, a new partnership with the Premier League to fund support for suicide prevention work; increased support for grassroots male health and wellbeing charities and a new ‘at home’ testing scheme for men at elevated risk of prostate cancer.  

Ally Fogg, Chair of the Association for Male Health and Wellbeing says:

“This is an historic day for our sector and an extraordinary achievement  by everyone who has campaigned so hard, for so long to see men’s health formally written into national health policy. We now begin the crucial task of properly considering the fine print and formulating the type of detailed response this document warrants. After that we commence the equally crucial task of holding the government to its commitments and ensuring that good intentions fully flower into real improvements.”