MHF trains commisioners in the North West

The MHF has staged  a one day workshop aimed at service commissioners and planners in the North West region.

The event, developed as part of a pilot approach to engaging with different groups of staff in the NHS around men's health issues, was held in Manchester on 13 April 2010.

Openning the event,  North West SHA chief executive Mike Farrar said that he was committed to seeing the outcomes of the day implemented in the developing plans for the region. This is important, indeed, given that the region holds the unenviable title of the worst in the country for men's health outcomes.

A series of expert presentations were given by a range of speakers including representatives from the regional Public Health Observatory, the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, the North West SHA's Equality & Diversity team, the ChaMPS Public Health Network and the MHF's CEO Peter Baker.

However, by far and away the most important part of the day was the opportunity given to delegates to break into small discussion groups to explore the specific issues relating to their own service area in terms of men's health and to work with colleagues to develop ways in which regional services might be better planned and delivered to meet the needs of men.

Stephen Sibbald, the MHF's director of operations, said "This was a very successful event for the MHF and we are delighted with the level of support we received both from the North West NHS and specifically Mike Farrar who has thrown his weight behind the MHF.  The day was oversubscribed which shows the massive amount of interest there is in the region around men's health and we are confident that we have developed a model that can be replicated in other parts of the NHS.  This is stage one of a pilot programme which is looking to develop effective staff development interventions within the NHS and we are planning next to test out working with health trainers who are at the very front end of service delivery.  The whole programme will be evaluated including some mid-term evaluation to ascertain whether working practice has changed as a result".

The agenda for the workshop can be downloaded here. AVAILABLE SOON.

The presentations from the workshop may be downloaded by clicking on the following links (AVAILABLE SOON):

• A National View of Men's Health - The Evidence and Implications - Peter Baker, CEO, Men's Health Forum
• The Health of Men in the North West - Claire Perkins, Deputy Director, North West Public Health Observatory
• The Legislative Framework for Action  : An Overview of the Gender Equality Duty - Tansy Hutchinson, Manager, Equality & Human Rights Commission
• Effective Approaches to Engaging with Men - Peter Baker, CEO, Men's Health Forum
• Drink a Little Less: See a Better You - A Social Marketing Campaign - Tracey Lambert, Social Marketing & Communications Manager, ChaMPS Public Health Network
• Men's Health as Part of the Equality & Diversity Agenda in the North West - Christine Burns, Interim E&D Manager, North West SHA