PRESS RELEASE FROM THE MHF 

Biggest ever project to improve men’s health

A five-year Men’s Health Improvement Programme for Lambeth and Southwark has been launched. The programme from the charity Men’s Health Forum (MHF) is the most comprehensive local men's health project ever conducted.

It will see the MHF work with local communities to improve the health of men in some of the country’s most deprived areas and to develop new health services for men that can be launched nationally.

Life expectancy of men in Lambeth and Southwark at 77 and 78.2 years lags behind the national average and is lower than most other London boroughs. In Kensington and Chelsea men’s life expectancy is over 85 years.

This five year programme has been funded by Guy's and St Thomas' Charity, who support innovation through investment in order to create world leading healthcare in Lambeth and Southwark.

Martin Tod, chief executive of the Men’s Health Forum said:
"We are excited to have the chance to make a real difference to men's health in Lambeth and Southwark. We believe this is the largest and most concentrated effort ever made to improve male health in one particular area. Although we're starting in one area, this project will have a national impact. We want to use this programme to develop new approaches that can be used across the country.”

Oliver Smith, Director of Strategy and Innovation at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity says:
“The shorter life expectancy in men when compared to women is an inequality that is often overlooked. MHF has a strong record in addressing this issue and we are pleased to be funding this exciting and ground breaking work.”

The MHF’s Lambeth and Southwark health improvement work will further our expertise developing health services and will launch the organisation in to a new phase of delivering services directly to men.
ENDS

Notes:

1. The Men’s Health Forum (MHF), a charity, provides an independent and authoritative voice for male health in England and Wales and tackles the issues and inequalities affecting the health and well-being of men and boys.
2. Premature death mainly affects men. 42% of men die prematurely (before the age of 75) compared to 26% of women. 21% of men aged 16-64 die from all causes compared to 12% of women.
3. Men use the range of primary care services far less than women and take longer to present and get a diagnosis. In Great Britain, men visit their GP 20% less than women and are less likely to use services such as weight management and smoking cessation.
4. The MHF is online at:
   www.menshealthforum.org.uk for health professionals and policy makers, and www.malehealth.co.uk for fast, free, independent health info from the Men’s Health Forum.
   @menshealthforum for updates on our work.
5. Guy’s and St Thomas Charity are a catalyst for innovation in health, investing £100 million every 5 years to support innovation in health and healthcare in the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. Find out more about the charity online at www.gsttcharity.org.uk or via Twitter @GSTTCharity