My role
My role
The Forum has come up with some ideas to make walk-in centres, which are increasingly popular with the government, more attractive to men.
'We have raised with Health Minister John Hutton how new NHS walk-in centres might more effectively tackle men's health issues,' said MHF director Peter Baker. 'We believe that the centres have the potential to encourage many men who would otherwise not seek help from their GP to do so, or to seek help sooner.'
To ensure that the new, and existing, walk-in centres maximize their potential for providing healthcare for men, the Forum has proposed:
The Forum has also reiterated its long-standing concern that men are reluctant users of GP services and that GP services themselves have done little to encourage men to attend.
'We are concerned that the new GMS contract, which is leading to a reduction in out-of-hours services by GPs, including Saturday morning clinics, may well have a further negative effect on men's use of primary care,' said Peter Baker.