The government is urging men of all ages to come forward and contribute to the development of England’s first-ever men’s health strategy, a key initiative under its Plan for Change.
On Thursday (24), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) launched a 12-week call for evidence, seeking insights from the public, health and social care professionals, academics and employers on ways to prevent and tackle the biggest issues facing men.
Health secretary Wes Streeting has urged people to come forward to share their views on “what is working and what more needs to be done” to close the life expectancy gap between men and women, as men in England die nearly 4 years earlier than women, on average.
“Every day, men across England are dying early from preventable causes,” he said.
“Men are hit harder by a range of conditions, while tragically suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50.”
“Our Plan for Change means we will tackle these issues head on through a men’s health strategy, and today’s call for evidence is the crucial next step in understanding what works, what doesn’t, and how we can design services men will actually use.”
The consultation will be open until 17 July 2025 via the DHSC website. Insights gathered will inform the final men’s health strategy, expected to be published later this year.
Men are disproportionately affected by conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Alarmingly, around three in four people who died by suicide in 2023 were men.
The upcoming men’s health strategy was first announced by Streeting at the Men’s Health Summit in November 2024, hosted by Arsenal and the Premier League in partnership with Movember.
“Too many men are dying too young,” said Amy O’Connor, global lead, policy and advocacy at Movember.
She urged members of the public and healthcare experts to share solutions to create a lasting impact on the future of men’s health.
“The men’s health strategy is a once in a generation opportunity to invest in positive change for men and their loved ones,” she said.
