The London Assembly’s Health Committee is holding an inquiry on mental health of male Londoners. It held an initial witness session in early June and has published a transcript.
The Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys submitted evidence to the inquiry. The full version is available in this document – with the key recommendations below.
Submission to London Assembly Health Committee
These focused on a gender-sensitive central research data hub that took into account intersectionalities alongside the need for a London Men’s Health Strategy, an online men’s health information hub as well as the need to increase the numbers of male Londoners working in the health and social care sector.
Executive Summary and Recommendations
Supporting the mental (and physical) health of London men will not only improve their health, it will improve the health of women, children and their wider families. It will also support London’s employers and London as a whole.
The core recommendations made by the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys are:
(1) Mental health should not be viewed as separate to physical health – as they are interconnected.
(2) Introduce a London-wide Men’s Health Strategy with core targets on accessibility, prevention and conditions. There should be a Women’s Health Strategy too. These should sit under the two main overarching health strategies in London and be overseen by the London Health Board.
(3) Build a more comprehensive centralised and live London Data Hub of health condition prevalence based on gender, and if possible at borough-level too, to provide an overarching understanding of the state of men’s and women’s health.
(4) Create both men’s health and women’s health ambassadors for London – each borough should consider them too.
(5) Hold an annual men’s health in London conference.
(6) Create a London-wide online men’s health hub with information on health conditions and how to access support. This should be available in different languages.
(7) Support increasing the number, reach and promotion of men’s health community-based support charities.
(8) Increase the number of men employed in London’s health and social care sector.