Pharmacies can drive men’s health strategy

With an estimated 65 per cent of men saying they avoid seeking medical attention for as long as possible, community pharmacies can help remove barriers to accessing healthcare.

The government is currently 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.

Last month, 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 four 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.

Health secretary Wes StreetingPic credit: Gettyimages

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.

Accessing healthcare

According to the ONS Health Insight Survey, commissioned by NHS England, 45.8 per cent of women compared to just 33.5 per cent of men had attempted to make contact with their GP practice for themselves or someone else in their household in the last 28 days.

Men were more likely to say they weren't registered at a dental practice and ‘rarely or never’ used a pharmacy, too.

They also make up considerably fewer hospital outpatient appointments, external than women, even when pregnancy-related appointments are discounted.

Pharmacies are uniquely placed within their communities to shift the dial when it comes to men’s health inequalities and improve access to advice and treatment.

Community pharmacies have the capability to have an environment where men feel comfortable to come in and discuss any health issues they may be facing.

Key to this are pharmacy teams who are knowledgeable on men’s-health related issues, offering a wide-range of clinical services and also products and medicines that support men’s health and wellbeing.

Certain pharmacies such as Superdrug offer specialised men's health services, addressing a range of concerns beyond routine consultations. These services often include consultations, medication, and treatment for conditions like erectile dysfunction, hair loss, premature ejaculation, and smoking cessation.

Some pharmacies also provide preventive care like blood pressure monitoring and screenings for conditions like diabetes.

Pharmadoctor, for example, partners with thousands of pharmacists across the UK to run a men's health service that makes treatments convenient and accessible, all without a trip to the GP.

Whether you are planning to open a men’s health clinic or slowly start offering men’s health services, knowing the common issues that impact men is the first step.

Sexual health

One area where pharmacists can play a major role when it comes to men’s health is offering advice on sexual health.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with approximately 55,000 new cases reported annually, and is also the second-most-deadly cancer among men.

As a country we are lagging far behind our European neighbours in the detection and treatment of this disease, with unacceptably large – and growing – numbers of men dying unnecessarily every year.

There has been a recent rise in the number of men seeking private prostrate cancer tests with Pharmacy2U revealing it had seen a 600 per cent rise in sales of blood tests that looks for signs of the disease.

According to Pharmacy2U, men under 50 are most likely to order the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test. The trend followed the news last year that Olympic champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy had terminal prostate cancer.

He was diagnosed at 48, having never been offered a PSA test.

Last year, Superdrug launched a PSA blood test service through its high street health clinics, in a bid to encourage more men to check their prostate.

Anyone whose results are flagged as a concern will be directed to see their GP for further tests, a spokesman said.

Niamh McMillan, Superdrug’s Pharmacy Superintendent said: ‘By introducing our new PSA blood test service across our 80 high street health clinics, we hope more men will feel encouraged and comfortable to prioritise their health and get themselves checked.’

Erectile dysfunction (ED), is common – as many as one in three men have to deal with it at some point in their lives – and has different causes and treatment options. There are many ways to prevent or minimize its impact on a man’s life.

The first step is often an open conversation with a healthcare provider who can address common misconceptions and offer support and insight into a sexual health issue that can be uncomfortable to talk about for many.

Though men often stigmatised and men find it difficult to talk about, ED usually nothing to worry about with treatment and support available to help people, including over the counter medication that can be bought from pharmacies.

Pharmacists can also offer lifestyle advice around ED relating weight loss, exercise, healthy eating, smoking cessation and stress management.