MHF welcome Wanless - as far as it goes

The MHF has welcomed the Wanless Report into NHS spending recently published as Securing our Future Health: Taking a Long-Term View. But says the NHS must reflect a broader public health policy understanding of gender

The Forum's response points out that one of the most fundamental precursors to the achievement of the greater public engagement and improved population health that is required, must be to develop a better understanding of men's interaction with all aspects of health provision. 'Indeed,' said Projects and Policy Officer David Wilkins, who wrote the Forum's response, 'we doubt that public engagement on the predicted scale, can be achieved at all without taking full account of men's needs, attitudes and behaviours, and without examining the way that services in respect of men are delivered.'

The Forums's response added that improved population health is dependent on greater understanding of the needs of men and boys across all areas of public policy — not just health policy. 'We are pleased to note that Securing our Future Health also favours this "cross cutting” approach to health improvement,' the report says.

The Forum's response made it clear that the MHF is committed to supporting the improvement of women's health and well-being, as well as that of men and believes that the two are inextricably linked.

The response concludes: 'In other words, it is our view that the central issue for consideration during this Review process (at least in respect of effective public health policy over the next twenty years), is that of the need to recognise the importance of gender as a public policy issue.'

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