NATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK 2009:

Case Studies

This section includes some good examples of gender-sensitive services.

PCTs

Case studies from Lewisham, Bradford, Knowlsey, Sefton and Nuneaton & Bedworth. Plus Scotland.

Lewisham

Led the way with a scrutiny review of men's health provision in the borough in 2007.

• Read more
• Lewisham's malehealth portal
• Lewisham PCT website.

Bradford Health of Men

Five-person team of health professionals aiming to improve health of boys and men through direct work (eg health advice and services with clients) and indirect work (eg training and support with a range  of professional staff). The team favours non-traditional, non-threatening environments such as workplaces, pubs, barbershops, retail outlets, betting shops, sporting clubs and other various male oriented venues.

• Bradford HOM website

Knowsley Pitstop

Social marketing campaign which used the motoring analogy ofencouraging men over 50 to 'drop in for a pit-stop' to bring health checks to men unlikely to have one. Over 1,000 older men in Knowsley benefited directly. 85% of men followed up six weeks later said they had made lifestyle changes.

• Knowsley PCT website
• Knowsley's malehealth portal
• Article in Social Marketing Quarterly

Sefton 'Working our Way to Health'

Programme targeting men over 35 who were unemployed, on incapacity benefit, acting as carers or in low-paid jobs in disadvantaged areas aiming to improve diet, encourage physical activity and prompt smoking cessation.

• Read more.
• Sefton PCT website.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Healthy Living Network

Programme of 'green space' health 'MOTs' including weight,

blood pressure, diet and other advice delivered, weather permitting, on green spaces outside mosques, football pitches, allotment

sites and industrial estates.

• Read more

NHS Scotland

Here are two good examples of service campaigns targeting men from north of the border.

• Choose Life (Suicide prevention campaign)
• Scottish Bowel Screening Programme  

Reports

Well Men Health Service Pilots Evaluation

An evaluation of the individual and overall impact of 18 well men pilots across 7 Health Boards in Scotland, and their effectiveness in contributing to meeting the health improvement policy objectives of the Men's Health Strategy (published by the Scottish government, 2008.)

• Read more.

Halton and St Helens PCT: Go — Men's Health Campaign

A men's health programme launched in 2008 to encourage men to take better care of their health and to make more use of available health services (featured in the DH Report Transforming Community Services & World Class Commissioning, 2009.)

• Download case study.
• Download full report. 

'Fit As A Fiddle' Age Concern

'Fit as a fiddle' is a national programme funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund and delivered by Age Concern. It aims to improve the health and wellbeing of older people, promoting physical activity, healthy eating and developing 'active networks' for the over-50s.

• Download evaluation report of scheme in Seven Oaks.

Newspaper articles

• Football fans targeted in bid to boost men's health (The Northern Echo, 29/03/09)
• A sporting chance (The Guardian, 25/02/09) - link to interview with MHF chair Alan White outlining a new £1.63m partnership between the Premier League and the New Football Pools to tackle men' health. MHF CEO Peter Baker sits on the project's steering group.
• Fat boys slim: WeightWatchers launches men-only slimming classes (Daily Mail, 23/12/08)
• Weight Watchers sets up Osterley men's club (Hounslow Chronicle, 16/01/09)
• 'Fat clinic' to open for men in Hull (This Is Hull, 03/12/08)