Men’s health – a new report from the Department of Health and Social Care
pharmafile | November 28, 2025 | Feature | Medical Communications | Men's Health Strategy, Men's mental health, UK Department of Health and Social Care, medical communications, medical education, mental health
The UK Department of Health and Social Care has published a new report entitled Men’s health: a strategic vision for England, offering an informative picture of how men in England experience health and healthcare.
The report is based on 6,591 responses that were gathered over 12 weeks in April 2025. Analysis of the responses showed that many men delayed seeking help for health problems, requested help only when symptoms had already worsened, or avoided healthcare services altogether.
The report also sets out which issues that men in England feel should be a priority. Cancers which affect men were chosen by 56% of respondents, but mental health was another key area of concern, with 46% of respondents saying it should be prioritised. Mental health was also the issue most closely linked with wider problems around ease of access and early intervention.
Among those surveyed, 44% of men surveyed identified issues receiving timely care for mental health, while 27% said suicide prevention for men in England urgently needed improving.
However, there was a lack of diversity among respondents: 94% identified as white, 79% were aged 45-84 and only 6% were under 35. According to the UK’s Office for National Statistics, men aged 25-44 face serious health risks: they are the group with the second-highest suicide risk (20.5 deaths per 100,000, with 23.3 deaths per 100,000 for those aged 45-64), but the least likely to seek help. Healthcare professionals (HCPs) worry that, if the report’s evidence is used to build a new men’s health strategy, it could mean that a high-risk group was underrepresented.
Reasons identified by the report for men not seeking treatment include: difficulties accessing appointments; long waiting lists, and embarrassment or discomfort around talking about mental health. Only 32% of respondents said they knew where to go in the event of a mental health crisis.
Dr Kultar Singh Garcha, an NHS GP and chief medical officer at Flow, said that these statistics represent what GPs see in their practices. “Services continue to be built around men coming forward, even though the report shows many simply do not. Traditional models hinge on in-person appointments, long referral chains and medication-led care, despite these being the very factors men cite as barriers.
“We cannot expect different outcomes if we keep offering the same routes into care. Men need options that don’t depend on navigating long waits or feeling comfortable in clinical environments.”
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust recently piloted a treatment programme for patients with depression. The programme was designed with those who struggled to attend appointments or tolerate antidepressants in mind, since it allowed them to complete treatment from their own homes. Clinicians involved in this pilot reported that the number of patients reporting thoughts of suicide dropped by two thirds, and that the programme had stronger engagement and fewer drop-outs than related treatments. This was especially true among male patients who had previously avoided treatment.
Garcha said: “The mentioned NHS pilot is just one example that shows that when support is private, flexible and available at home, engagement improves. This is where the strategy currently falls short. It identifies the right issues – access, stigma, delays – but most solutions still depend on men stepping forward.”
The report will continue to develop over the course of 2026. It will be supported by research focused on men from underrepresented groups, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
“To prevent men reaching crisis point, we need to widen access to early support,” Garcha concluded. “That means safe non-drug options, simpler routes into treatment and the ability to begin support as soon as someone is ready. The NHS already has early evidence that these approaches work, and policy now needs to build on it.”
Related Content
Five Facts about men’s mental health
1 While only 15.4% of men are diagnosed with a common mental health condition (CMHC’s) …
PlasmidFactory founder Dr. Martin Schleef honoured with the NRW Innovation Award 2025
The founder and long-standing CEO of PlasmidFactory, Dr. Martin Schleef, was honoured in Düsseldorf with …
Five Facts about sleep and mental health
1 Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep enhances creative thinking and helps the brain form connections …
