Why we need the Men's Health Forum

This isn't about blowing our own trumpet but about the challenges we face.

We have distributed over a million of our men's health mini-manuals so it was good to receive the latest bit of feedback through our website.

Thank you for the wonderful MAN MANUAL booklet I picked up at the Chelsea & Westminster hospital. I have enjoyed very much the whole booklet and the simple way the book explains everything and how logical it all is. I really do believe all males should read this and only wish I had got a copy sometime ago before I was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer, really helpful and outstanding read, thank you all.

That was fantastic to receive but we still have a lot to do to get men to get advice as early as possible and for services to be more welcoming.

The MHF is working on ways to improve men's use of the new bowel cancer screening programme. This summer we've had two reminders of why we need this and why despite our successes getting these programmes launched there is still a lot to do on the ground.

This week ITV West Country Tonight covered the story of a man from Gloucestershire who had the symptoms of bowel cancer for six months before doing getting them checked. You can still watch their interview with Derrick Daley.

Earlier in the summer the Eastern Daily Press covered a near identical story in Norfolk. Ernie Childs was sent a bowel cancer test but ignored it for months.

How would you get men to get checked sooner and how can services be more male friendly?

Is breast best for showing the importance of cancer awareness?

Much of the news today about breast cancer is focusing on how successful that screening programme has been but some is looking at the role of lifestyles and awareness - two issues whose importance is not limited to breast cancer. The news is based on a study in the BMJ, and is much more solid than the news yesterday that UK breast cancer rates are four times higher than those in Eastern Africa. That figure is dissected in Dr Chris Hiley's blog.

On BBC News this morning Professor Dame Valerie Beral mentioned the importance of awareness and early presentation before screening in tackling breast cancer. This is not just linked to women and cancer however.

The Forum has long highlighted the shocking difference in cancer rates between men and women. When working with Cancer Research UK, the National Cancer Intelligence Network and others, the most likely reason for the difference is thought to be men's tendency to recognise symptoms later and go to their doctor later.

Encouraging men to take more responsibility is a good thing but if we do not also improve awareness of possible cancer symptoms and make primary care more male friendly we will not succeed in reducing men's high rates of cancer.

Have your say on the government's plans for the NHS

At the Men's Health Forum, we have just started work on planning our response to the government's plans for the NHS. The deadline for submission is in early October, so we are juggling things around so that no-one works during their holidays!

Colin mentioned some of the changes that the government is proposing in his post below. Since writing that, the government have published further consultation documents on GP commissioning, the new role of local authorities in public health and the outcomes that NHS professionals will be working towards.

As we plan our response, it would be useful to know your opinions on some of the proposed changes. If you have a spare 5 minutes, we would be grateful if you tell us what you think about the main changes Colin mentions in his post below.

Thanks,

Áine