Making a stake in the Men's Health Forum

Stakeholders in the Men's Health Forum enjoyed an invigorating and lively meeting last week in London.

Some 60 members and friends got together with staff and trustees to explore where men's health and the MHF are and where they are going.

Welcoming the first such event in the MHF's history, MHF director Peter Baker said: 'The Men's Health Forum is at the centre of the growing debate and discussion about the health of men and boys. It is becoming clearer to policymakers, practitioners and politicians that the nation's health cannot be improved unless a decisive difference is made to the unnecessarily poor state of male health and the MHF is now recognized as the authoritative voice in this field.' 

Speakers and presentations included:

• The state and status of men's health. Dr Ian Banks, President of MHF
• Men's health and PCTs. Professor Rod Griffiths, President, Faculty of Public Health.
• Ethnic minority men's health. Professor Kamlesh Patel, Director, Ethnicity and Health Unit, University of Central Lancashire. Patron of MHF.
• Men's health in the news. Kate Williams, Head of Media and Public Affairs, Prostate Cancer Charity.
• Men and general practice. Dr John Chisholm, GPs' Committee, BMA. Patron of MHF.
• Presentations on MHF work:

  • Men and chlamydia. David Wilkins, Special Projects Officer.

  • National Men's Health Week 2005. Matthew Maycock, NMHW Co-ordinator.

• The work of MHF members:

• Asylum Seekers & Seafarer Sam projects. Jo McCullagh and Gareth Lewis, South Sefton PCT.

• Fathers Matter. Mary Alabaster, South Essex Partnership NHS Trust.

• Men's health and obesity. Dr David Haslam, Chair, National Obesity Forum; and Dr Ian Banks, President of the Men's Health Forum.

The presentations will, we hope, appear on the site in due course.