Reflections From an MHU Network Discussion
Representatives from across health, community and support services recently came together for a Men’s Health Unlocked (MHU) discussion exploring a long-standing public health question:
Do Men Avoid Healthcare?
The session included attendees from men’s groups, Active Leeds, LGBTQ+ services, prostate cancer projects, Local Care Partnerships, criminology and mental health support organisations.
One key point discussed was that the issue is often less about men never using healthcare, and more about men engaging later, avoiding preventative support and reaching crisis point before seeking help.
While men use GP services less overall than women, this gap becomes much smaller after retirement age. Men with long-term conditions are often good at attending appointments once they are already within the healthcare system.
Why Do Some Men Delay Seeking Help?
A range of barriers and experiences were discussed, including:
- Work and time pressures
- “Get on with it” workplace cultures
- Feeling like they are wasting GP time
- Struggling to explain health concerns
- Negative past experiences with services
- Low trust and power imbalances within healthcare settings
The discussion also highlighted how girls and women often have more routine interactions with healthcare systems throughout life, while many men have fewer early opportunities to normalise health conversations.Attendees noted that many community engagement activities still take place during weekday working hours, potentially excluding large numbers of working men.
What Could Be Done Differently?
Several themes emerged around improving engagement:
- Building trust
- Meeting men where they already are
- Using peer support more effectively
- Raising awareness earlier
- Creating more accessible services and appointment options
There was also discussion around the potential value of national prostate cancer screening, not only for early diagnosis but also for creating more regular contact points between men and the NHS.
E-consultations and flexible access routes were highlighted as particularly important for men working long hours or travelling regularly for work.
National Trends Continue to Reflect the Issue
The discussion drew on evidence from organisations including Movember, Healthwatch, Nuffield Health and BMJ Open.Statistics referenced included:
- Men’s GP consultation rates being significantly lower overall than women’s
- Around 65% of men reporting they delay seeking medical help “for as long as possible”
- Men being more likely to delay appointments due to work pressures
- Around three in four suicides in the UK being male
The session reflected a growing recognition that improving men’s health outcomes requires trusted relationships, accessible services and better understanding of how work, identity and social expectations shape engagement with healthcare.
