This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Funding boost for men's health
14/10/2003
Funding worth £4 million, to give Scotsmen health
MoTs and services in supermarkets, golf clubs,
libraries and football grounds, was announced
today.
Deputy Health Minister Tom McCabe said the
investment in such radical initiatives was needed to
encourage men to get checked out before illness
strikes.
Speaking at the Weigh-In Without Women project
inCoatbridge, Mr McCabesaid:
"We all know men are much more reluctant than
women to talk about their health, never mind go to the
doctor for regular check ups.
"There is clearly a need to encourage men to take
more responsibility for their own health. The message
is: know the score now and get it sorted. It's never
too late to change and enjoy a fuller and longer
life.
"Scotland's record on men's health is not one we can be proud
of, but we are beginning to take steps to turn this around.
The opening of the first male cancer clinic by the First
Minister inEdinburghearlier this month heralded our commitment to support
further improvements to health screening services for men
and improve accessibility to those services.
"I am pleased to announce that over the next two
years we are investing £4 million in developing and
piloting innovative approaches to Well Man Clinics.
This new initiative will be aimed at encouraging men to
be more aware of their health and take more personal
responsibility for improving their health.
"Providing support and check-up services in
locations and at times which men are more at ease with
is vital to success.
"Already, Lanarkshire NHS Board is showing us the
way forward with the Weigh-in Without Women project
which I have seen today, allowing men to manage their
weight and diets in a more comfortable environment. I
am also encouraged to see that health checks are being
offered at Hamilton Racecourse and the use of other
venues such as libraries, golf clubs and football
stadia should be considered.
"I hope this will encourage more men, regardless of
age or location, who are currently reluctant to get
regular check-ups via traditional NHS routes to take more
of an interest in their own health."
Men are less likely than women to go to their GPs. In
the 12 monthsending in March 2003, 68 per cent of males, and 84
per cent of females had contact with their GP. (Source:
Sample of CMR (Continuous MorbidityRecording) GP practices).
In 2002, coronary heart disease (CHD)
accounted for 22 per cent of deaths
in Scottish men and 18 per cent of deaths in
women. The Executive target is to reduce the number of
premature deaths from CHD for men and women by 50 per
cent between 1995-2010.
There is no set blueprint for this initiative. A
full public consultation
exercise will be launched in the next few months
to decide what method of delivery best suits, and
where. What works best in a town or city may not be
suitable in a rural environment and what suits young
men may not appeal to older men. Pilots will be
developed for specific communities including men from
different ethnic backgrounds.
The funding will be delivered as follows:
- £2m in 2004/05
- £2m in 2005/06