News
MEN
URGED TO SIGN UP FOR UK'S ONLY 10K FOR MEN
March
2010
Men's Health Forum Scotland
launched the fifth annual MHFS 10k for Men, at the Palace of Art
at Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, with Real Radio presenter Mark
Martin and MSP Andy Kerr pledging to take part in this year's
event.
The event, which is
the only men-only 10k in the UK, takes place on Father's Day (June
20, 2010). Participant numbers have been growing year-on-year
and this year, organisers hope to attract up to 5000 entrants.
The MHFS is determined
to get men thinking about the importance of improving their health
for the better and wants to use the event to raise awareness of
how simple lifestyle changes like increasing your activity levels
by joining a men's jogging group can have a really positive impact
on their emotional and physical wellbeing.
Mark Ward, national
co-ordinator for the Men's Health Forum Scotland, said: "The
Men's Health Forum Scotland wants to encourage as many men from
throughout Scotland as possible to take part in the 10k for Men,
whether they walk, jog or run".
For additional
information visit www.mhfs10kformen.org
MESMAC COUNSELLING
SERVICE - NOT JUST FOR MEN!
February
2010
Yorkshire MESMAC fund
counselling within Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield and North Yorkshire
for any gay or bisexual men or men who have sex with men. They
are also highlighting that women can also access their counselling
service and it is available for any female partners of men who
are attracted to men; Lesbian and bisexual women in the Bradford
and Airedale area can also make use of the service. They also
provide counselling for young lesbians accessing youth groups
run by Yorkshire MESMAC and for minority ethnic lesbians.
Claire Bergman, the
counselling organiser for Yorkshire MESMAC, the OUR project and
the Brunswick Centre emphasised that MESMAC's counselling services
are free at the point of access, fully accessible and confidential.
Claire said, "We
have a very committed and highly qualified team of forty freelance
counsellors who have all undergone training in issues faced by
our client group. For more information or to access the counselling
service please call me on counselling@mesmac.co.uk or call
07771 931 327".
INCREASED
AVAILABILITY OF BOWEL CANCER SCREENING KITS
December
2009
Bowel cancer screening
kits will soon be offered to more people in Bradford and Airedale.
The local bowel cancer
screening centre is set to increase the age group of people who
are invited to take part in the screening programme - meaning
more people will be able to have regular checks for the disease.
When the programme started
in August 2007, people aged from 60 to 69 years were sent a
bowel cancer screening kit. From January, the age group will change
so that 60 to 74 years olds who are registered with a GP in Bradford,
Airedale and Craven will automatically be invited to take part
in the programme. People who are aged over 74 can still request
a free kit over the phone.
The screening centre
is based at Bradford Royal Infirmiary and provides clinics both
there and at Airedale General Hospital.
The home kit is a simple
test designed to detect bowel cancer as early as possible, even
when people have no symptoms, so that they are more likely to
make a full recovery after treatment. The test is then processed
by a regional laboratory and the results returned after two weeks.
This is part of the
national NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, which is being
introduced throughout the country.
Dr Linda Juby, clinical
director of the Bradford and Airedale Screening Centre said: "I
urge everyone who receives a test kit to make sure that they complete
and return it - its easy to use and can be completed in the privacy
of your own home. The results are processed quickly and you and
your GP will both receive a copy."
For more information,
people can contact the national bowel cancer screening programme
free phone helpline on: 0800 7076060 or go to: www.cancerscreening.nhs.uk
NOMADIC
MEN's HEALTH IN BRADFORD AND AIREDALE
October
2009
The Health of Men team
at Bradford and Airedale Community Health Services has been offering
free health checks across the district. As part of their Nomadic
Nurses campaign, the team has stopped men in the street, targeting
groups such as taxi drivers and visiting businesses to carry out
checks.
The tests include checks
on blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index. The team can
also offer advice on living a healthy lifestyle. More than 50
checks have been carried out over the last month. The work will
continue until the end of December and in the new year the team
hope to work with community centres and businesses around Bradford
and Keighley.
Merv Pemberton, the
men's health adviser for Bradford and Airedale Community Health
Services, said: "These health checks are very simple and
don't take long to do. It is important we offer these checks to
men as they are less likely to visit their GP when they think
they may be ill. Our aim is to raise awareness of maintaining
good health and to encourage men to seek help and advice".
To find out more contact
the Bradford team on (01274) 322169 or the Keighley team on (01535)
338706.
No
change in health INEQUALITIES from 1900
September
2009
The link between poverty
and early death is as strong today as it was a century ago, a
study shows. Despite major changes in the causes of death since
the 1900s, the association between deprivation and mortality remains
"firmly entrenched", it found.
Dr Gregory, a senior
lecturer at the University of Lancaster, looked at census and
mortality data from England and Wales from the 1900s and compared
that with data from 2001. His figures highlight the dramatic improvement
seen in early deaths over the past one hundred years. In the 1900s,
33% of deaths occurred in the under fives and only 13% occurred
over the age of 75 but a century later deaths in the under fives
account for less than 1% and 65% of deaths now occur in those
over 75.
Poverty
Dr Gregory then compared
the mortality rates in areas of high deprivation in the two time
periods. Although people's experience of poverty changed over
the years - in the 1900s it meant not having the bare necessities
for existence but a century later poverty is defined as relative
to society as a whole - the association between deprivation and
high mortality did not change.
"The extent to
which the association remained was surprising," he said.
But he said it did not necessarily mean that initiatives to reduce
health inequalities had not had an effect. "The unknown factor
is what would have happened if we hadn't done anything - could
things have got much much worse - and I suspect they could have
done."
Professor Alan Maryon-Davis,
President of the Faculty of Public Health said to some extent
the gap must have got even worse in recent years.
"In the 1900s,
it would have been infectious diseases but now it's more about
chronic diseases linked to lifestyle. The health threats may have
changed, but the gap between the haves and have-nots is still
there, and so too is the difference in mortality. This research
really drives home the message that the surest way to reduce the
health risks of poverty, is to reduce poverty itself."
- Taken from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8249092.stm
"Over
40% of men die prematurely" -
Peter
baker addressES the Royal Society of Public Health
July
2009
In July Mens Health
Forum CEO Peter Baker addressed a packed public meeting of the
Royal Society for Public Health about the current state of Men's
Health. Some of the statistics were quite startling.
"There is, quite
rightly, currently great concern about the deaths of soldiers
in Afghanistan. since 2001, about 190 have been killed. These
losses are a tragedy, and a men's health health issue in their
own right, yet almost some 275 men in England die every day before
the age of 75. that's one death every five minutes. Yet this fact
excites virtually no media interest, no discussion in parliament,
no national debate...
If you look at the data
at a ward level, there are some parts of England where male life
expectancy is as low as 65. And if you look at particular communities,
the situation is even graver. The average life expectancy for
gypsy and traveller men is estimated at 48 years. Imagine living
in a community, in this country, where you are effectively an
old man when you are in your 40s."
The
Challenges Ahead
Peter laid out some
of the men's health policy challenges we face in the UK. He identified
three particular challenges for the Department of Health.
"Primary Care Trusts
should also develop outcome-focussed Gender Equality Schemes which
contain specific actions to improve men's health. The first round
of schemes, published in 2007, were generally wholly inadequate.
These schemes need to be reviewed and updated over the next year
so a good opportunity exists to put this right.
PCTs must address men's
under-use of the range of primary care services, ensure that men
are fully part of the new vascular checks programme and take advantage
of the World Cup 2010 and the 2012 Olympics to engage more men
in physical activity."
To read Peter's full
address click on this link:-
www.menshealthforum.org
Bradford
Man Praises Bowel cancer Screening Test
March
2009
A
66 year old man from Bradford has beaten bowel cancer after an
NHS home screening kit discovered the disease. Geoff McMahon had
an abnormal result from his bowel cancer screening kit and was
sent to see a specialist screening practitioner. He had no symptoms
and so had no reason to think he had bowel cancer before taking
the test. Last December he had keyhole surgery and was given the
all clear just two weeks later. As his cancer was found at an
early stage and had not spread, after the surgery he required
no further treatment.
The
home kit is part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme,
which is being introduced throughout the country. It is a simple
test designed to detect bowel cancer as early as possible, even
when people have no symptoms. The test is processed by a regional
laboratory and the results returned within two weeks.
Geoff
said: “I am very grateful to the screening programme for detecting
the cancer so early. ..I couldn't praise the staff highly enough,
from the students to the doctors, they were all so kind, considerate
and professional…People shouldn't feel reluctant to take the test
as it can be done in the privacy of your own home and then simply
sent back in the post. It really couldn't be simpler.”
Diana
Wilkinson, specialist screening practitioner at the Bradford and
Airedale Bowel Cancer Screening Centre said: “The NHS Bowel Cancer
Screening Programme is automatically sending screening kits to
people between the ages of 60 and 69 every two years. People are
usually sent results within two weeks. Anyone over the age of
70 can request one by phoning a free helpline.”
If
anyone would like further information on the bowel cancer screening
kits, the free phone helpline is 0800 7076060.
THE
BRAVE PROJECT -"MANALIVE" BOYS AND MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH
FORUM
16th
December 2008
The above Forum is to
be held on 16th December, 10am-12.00, at The Gateway Community
Centre, Thackeray Rd, Ravenscliffe, Bradford, BD10 0JR.
Key note Presentation
by Lee Stagles - Rosalie Ryrie Foundation - A.D.A.P.T Men's Group
Are you concerned about
the mental/emotional health and well being of Men and Boys? Do
you worry about problems such as: Male suicide, risky behaviour,
gun/knife crime, drugs & alcohol, violence & aggression?
If so, then visit the
above Forum for support, raising awareness of the emotional/psychological
distress of Boys and Men, developing male focussed/strengths based
interventions, sharing 'best practice' and networking.
For more information
email: the braveproject@hotmail.com
HEALTH
OF MEN'S NOMADIC NURSES
September
2008
The "nomadic nurses"
from Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust (tPCT)
are part of the health of men team who are now looking at new
ways to improve men's health.
The team will launch their work delivering health checks to men,
visiting different locations such as shops, cafes, pubs, job centres
and workplaces. They will be in Keighley on Monday, September
22, and in Shipley on Monday, September 29. They hope this new
initiative will make their services even more accessible.
As well as recording blood pressure and cholesterol levels, the
team will test for lung function and carbon monoxide levels, and
chlamydia screening will also be offered. Advice on a whole range
of health topics such as exercise and diet, sexual health, alcohol
and drug use and prostate cancer will also be available.
If you would like more information about the men's health team
and its nomadic nurses, please contact Andrew Harrison on 01274
322 169 or email Andrew.harrison2@bradford.nhs.uk
.