Does your PCT have a gender duty scheme?

More than a month after the legal deadline, many PCTs have still not published their gender duty equality schemes.

Under the Equality Act's gender duty, which is now in force, all primary care trusts and other public bodies should have published their gender equality schemes by the end of April.

'We know however that many have not,' says Colin Penning who is coordinating the MHF's work on the gender duty. 'Has you local PCT done it yet? What about other health-care providers in your region? Why not ask them? Even those who have, on the face of it, produced a plan may not actually have a strategy for delivering it so it's worth asking to see them.'

Through its membership scheme, the Forum has been working with PCTs providing resources as well as training on how to comply with the duty and meet the health needs of men in their area.

The Forum has also been a key player in the Voluntary Sector Gender Duty Network which was launched at a Men's Health Forum conference for the voluntary sector at the end of March. 'Voluntary sector organisations interested in gender and health have come together to share information and co-ordinate campaigns around the gender duty,' says Colin. 'The EOC has recently published its guidance on the duties for the voluntary sector.'

• The EOC guidance and recent supplement in The Guardian newspaper on the gender duty which includes male health are both available online.
• More on the MHF's gender duty work here.