Men's Health is discussed at cross party group for nursing

Published: 18 February 2013

National Assembly for Wales Cross Party Group on Nursing - Prostate Cancer: Improving Access to Treatment in Wales

The National Assembly for Wales Cross Party Group on Nursing recently focused on men’s health in Wales. Chaired by Rebecca Evans AM, the Cross Party Group on Nursing discusses issues of concern within the nursing & midwifery professions, provides a nursing & midwifery perspective on health & social policy, provides a forum for members of the nursing and midwifery professions to meet with and discuss matters with Assembly Members and their staff, celebrates the work of nursing & midwifery and promotes understanding of it and supports the development of nursing & midwifery policy.

Professor Kevin Davies, Professor of Nursing and Disaster Healthcare, University of Glamorgan, guest speaker at the Cross Party said: "I would like three things to come from this Cross Party. A clear commitment to establishing a men’s health strategy for Wales, a clear commitment to establishing a prostate awareness strategy within this and a clear commitment to allowing Welsh based men to have the same intervention choices that are available to men in England".

Martin Semple, Associate Director (Professional Practice) RCN Wales, who gave an introduction on Men’s Health at the event said: "Men’s health is unnecessarily poor. 40% of men still die prematurely (before the age of 75). Male death rates are significantly affected by social deprivation: men who are defined as unskilled have a life expectancy of under 73 years, over seven years fewer than professional men. A man can expect to be seriously or chronically ill for 14 years of his life and men visit their GP 20% less frequently than women and are less likely to use pharmacy, smoking cessation and weight management services. In addition, men’s mental health is a significant issue. Three out of four people who commit suicides are men and this is still the biggest killer among men under 35. But we have also seen a big increase in the number of middle-aged men tragically taking their own lives. It is time to pay attention to addressing preventable illness in the male population".

Notes to Editors:

The National Assembly for Wales Cross Party on Nursing was held on Tuesday 5th February Ty Hywel, Conference Room C, National Assembly for Wales, Cardiff Bay.

The Royal College of Nursing is the world’s largest professional union of nurses, representing nurses, midwives, health visitors, nursing students and health care assistants, with more than 24,000 members in Wales. The RCN represents nurses and nursing, promotes excellence in practice and shapes health policies.