TO BE PUBLISHED December 2025
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Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will examine priorities for men’s health and wellbeing in England, including development of the forthcoming Men’s Health Strategy, following the call for evidence closing in June.
Policy development & recent findings
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to consider how policy and services can better address the causes of preventable illness and early mortality in men. The agenda will bring out latest thinking on prevention strategies, improving engagement with healthcare, and tackling persistent disparities in outcomes and access.
The vision for the Strategy will be considered in the context of wider NHS reforms outlined in the 10-Year Health Plan, as well as priorities emerging from the call for evidence on the National Cancer Plan. Findings from the Health and Social Care Committee’s 2023/24 Men’s Health Inquiry, and Movember’s 2024 report The Real Face of Men’s Health - which show a sharp decline in male life expectancy post-COVID - will also inform discussion.
Effective prevention, public health & service improvement
Strategic options for improving national leadership, effective prevention strategies and education will be considered, looking at improving NHS services for men, as well as the role of voluntary and community organisations in improving men’s health and wellbeing. Delegates will discuss prevention strategies that are relevant, trusted, and accessible to different groups of men, alongside approaches to education, public information and encouraging healthy behaviours.
With the Care Quality Commission’s recently published State of Health Care and Adult Social Care in England 2024/25 report highlighting Black men’s mental health and identifying barriers to accessing mental health services and inequalities in care pathways, we expect discussion to consider next steps for improving services and care for mental health issues. Areas for discussion include tackling barriers to timely access, reducing potential stigma linked to seeking support, and the responsiveness of the health system to serious and complex need.
Drawing on latest thinking and research on improving men’s public health, delegates will discuss strategies for healthy eating, smoking cessation, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and mental health. The role of workplaces, sport organisations, and community-based initiatives in supporting sustainable long-term improvements will also be discussed.
Screening
Sessions will explore future approaches to screening, focusing on ways to improve risk-based methods in light of concerns about the PSA test’s accuracy and false positives in prostate cancer, as well as strategies for strengthening early intervention, including calls for targeted national screening. We also expect discussion on improving men’s engagement with screening and diagnostics, including options for moving this closer to the community, improving access, flexible timing, tackling psychological barriers, and enabling more targeted outreach in primary care.
Equality, collaboration & coordination
Further discussion will look at embedding gender-informed and equity-focused approaches within NHS reform, and how policy can better support men in underserved groups, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds, disadvantaged communities, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
Attendees will examine how local and national systems can improve coordination to deliver effective care, such as through cross-sector collaboration, investment in workforce and data infrastructure, and robust mechanisms for tracking progress and accountability. Discussion will consider priorities for developing best practice and clinical guidance, as well as opportunities for commissioning and shaping care pathways to improve health outcomes.
Overview of areas for discussion
- Men’s Health Strategy: priorities emerging from the call for evidence - alignment with NHS reform and major national plans - structures to support long-term coordination
- prevention and early intervention: use of screening and health checks in high-risk groups - ways to encourage earlier presentation - approaches to reduce exposure to modifiable risks
- mental health: tackling barriers to timely access - addressing potential stigma linked to seeking support - system responsiveness to serious and complex need
- health inequalities: assessing disparities in life expectancy and outcomes across groups - factors affecting access by ethnicity, geography, and income - scope for targeted national and local responses
- service models: application of gender-informed approaches - integration of national and local delivery - flexibility in meeting distinct needs - commissioning and clinical guidance
- public awareness and access: establishing trust in services and understanding of health risks - improving the reach of public health information and targeting disengaged groups
- community and workplace roles: priorities for employers and local networks - utilising partnerships that extend service reach - examples of scalable practice
- accountability and leadership: responsibilities across organisations - tools for assessing impact - use of data to inform policy and delivery
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Department of Health and Social Care; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; HM Prison and Probation Service; Department of Health, ROI; and the Welsh Government.
