Weston MP welcomes landmark men's health strategy

Weston-super-Mare MP Dan Aldridge has welcomed the Government’s new Men’s Health Strategy for England, celebrating a major national plan that reflects key proposals submitted by Dan and over 100 Weston residents earlier this year.

The strategy, is the first of its kind and sets out a long-term plan to tackle the crisis in men’s health, addressing higher mortality rates, later diagnosis of serious illnesses, frontline barriers to care, and the lack of targeted support for men across England.

Earlier this year the MP for Weston organised one of the country’s first local consultation events on men’s health, bringing together residents, clinicians, mental health advocates, community groups, and local men’s wellbeing organisations. The insights collected were submitted directly to the Government’s consultation in a detailed document co-authored by Dan and participants.

What Weston Asked For – And What the Labour Delivered

Regional Men’s Health Leadership

Weston-super-Mare Ask: A Men’s Health Ambassador or leadership role in every region to close gaps in access, improve accountability, and ensure men are not left behind in local health systems. Delivered: The national strategy introduces a new Men’s Health Leadership Group with regional oversight functions, ensuring consistent standards and targeted action across England.

Better Men-Friendly Access to Care

Weston-super-Mare Ask: Flexible appointments, after-work availability, drop-in check-ins, simpler booking systems, and more community-based options for men who delay seeking help. Delivered: The strategy commits to improving access pathways, piloting “men-friendly” service models, expanding community-based prevention, and increasing flexibility around appointments.

Serious investment in prevention

Weston-super-Mare Ask: Earlier screening, proactive health MOTs, and community-level prevention to stop men falling through the cracks and presenting late with serious illnesses. Delivered: The strategy includes new men’s health screening pilots, a focus on earlier intervention, and prevention-first approaches delivered through ICSs.

Mental Health Support Designed for Men

Weston-super-Mare Ask: More male-specific mental health programmes and safe, non-clinical spaces for men to open up. Delivered: The strategy expands tailored mental health access, including new local pathways and targeted prevention for high-risk groups.

Better Data on Men’s Health Outcomes

Weston’s Ask: Routine reporting on men’s health at regional and national level to identify where care is failing men. Delivered: The Government will introduce new men’s health metrics, improving data collection and accountability across NHS regions.

Dan Aldridge MP said:

“Back in the spring, I brought people together for Weston’s Men’s Health Roundtable because I was tired of seeing the same pattern repeat: men getting diagnosed too late, struggling in silence, and facing avoidable health problems.

Weston residents spoke honestly about their experiences, and I took every one of those ideas straight to the Government’s consultation.

I’m genuinely proud to say that many of the proposals we put forward here in Weston have helped shape the first-ever Men’s Health Strategy for England. That is what politics should be – real people’s voices leading to real national change.

This strategy won’t fix everything overnight, but it is a powerful step toward ensuring men in Weston – and across the country – can access help earlier, easier and without stigma. And I’ll keep pushing to make sure Weston is at the front of the queue when these new pilots and services are rolled out.”

Men in Weston face some of the highest health inequalities in the region – including lower life expectancy, later-stage diagnosis of key cancers, and limited men-specific support services.

Dan’s office has also been contacted by dozens of men experiencing barriers to GP access, mental health support, and preventative screening.

The new Men’s Health Strategy means:

· better access to early checks

· faster, more flexible routes into appointments

· targeted mental health pathways

· national accountability on men’s health

· new models of care that Dan intends to push for in Weston first

Dan will now be working with NHS Bristol and North Somerset to ensure Weston becomes one of the early adopter sites for the new men’s health models and prevention pilots.

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