Councils across England and prominent charity and media figures have called for the introduction of a National Men’s Health Strategy in the UK following the publishing of two damning reports. The reports conducted by The Local Government Association (LGA) which represents councils across England, and the preeminent charity Movember respectively, have outlined a worrying trend of preventable male deaths and a disparity between early death rates in affluent and deprived areas.
Following the publishing of the findings, the LGA and other noteworthy figures have called for the UK to introduce a strategy reminiscent of the Women’s Health Strategy announced under the Tory government in 2022.
The reports of the LGA and Movember outline that the UK does not provide sufficient country wide support for men. While they differ in areas of specific subject matter, with the LGA report also pointing to selected case studies of innovative council approaches, the reports essentially deliver a similar message - more support is needed if less men are to suffer health problems or die as a result of preventable issues.
The 2024 Movember report is centred on the disparity between premature deaths in deprived and affluent areas. Movember conclude the average rate of premature death for men in England’s most deprived areas is 81% higher than the least derived areas. They define premature death as during before 75, tying it to life expectancy. Other noteworthy takeaways include nearly two in five (39%) deaths were premature—133,000 men lost annually, often from preventable causes that could have been avoided through behaviour changes, screening, and early diagnosis.
The LGA report also points to inequalities between the health of men in affluent and poorer areas. In addition, the report explores socio-economic and behavioural factors, including higher levels of smoking and excessive drinking, as contributory factors to the issue. David Fothergill – Chairman of the LGA Community Wellbeing Board, called for action from Westminster, while highlighting the actions of local councils throughout the UK.
“Men in England are facing a silent health crisis, dying nearly four years earlier than women with high rates of cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and suicides. Stark inequalities mean men in deprived areas live almost 10 years less than their more affluent peers. We are calling for men’s health to be recognised as a national concern, and for the Government to implement a men's health strategy.”
The calls for a national strategy to tackle men’s health are prevalent among other noteworthy figures. Former Downing Street director of communications turned podcaster and campaigner Alastair Campbell recently said that a national strategy is the first step to “change the face of men’s health”. In addition, Michelle Terry - CEO of the aforementioned Movember, stated that men’s health has been “relegated to the sidelines of broader health conversations” and that having a dedicated strategy alongside investment in education and the NHS is essential to tackling the crisis.
The reports do not explicitly focus on the issues of mental health, but they refer to the crisis. The issues outlined in the reports illustrate a bleak picture for men in the UK when the declination of mental health among males is also considered. The leading cause of death for young males in the UK at this time in suicide. Men in England and Wales are three times more likely to commit suicide than women as of 2022. There are all premature and preventable deaths. The LGA has also called for the reinstatement of local suicide prevention funding which ended in March this year. The amount previously reached £57 million.
On a positive note, there has been acknowledgement from arguably the most pertinent government official on the issue. Wes Streeting was re-elected as MP for Ilford North in July of this year. Previously the Shadow Health Secretary, he was appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in Keir Starmer’s cabinet. Having served in the shadow position for over two years and now the cabinet official in charge, Streeting brings years of experience and knowledge to the position. Before the Labour government were elected, Streeting stated that failures to adequately tackle men’s health issues personally angered him.
“I feel just as enraged about failures in men’s health, whether that’s the mental health crisis that’s taking young men’s lives too soon, or the rates of preventable death in areas like prostate cancer and testicular cancer. I will bring that focus to both men’s health and women’s health to government”.
We are just about two months into the premiership of Keir Starmer and the Labour government. It is still early in their term so we will await the action they plan on bringing forward. When you contrast the rampant levels of male suicide, the clear disparity between the levels of premature death in affluent and poorer areas and the wider declination of men’s health in the UK, there is clearly an ongoing crisis that requires noteworthy action from the government. Whether it be a national strategy for men’s health as previously suggested or further investment in local efforts remains to be seen, however the increasing amounts of data published over the last year clearly indicated that not enough support is available and more action needs to be taken at the national level.