EAST OF ENGLAND — The UK government launched a men's health strategy in November, leading to the installation of free mobile health check units and self-service health check machines across England. These initiatives aim to improve the early detection of conditions such as prostate cancer and heart disease.

Self-service machines located in supermarkets, leisure centers, and libraries in Cambridgeshire can assess body mass index, blood pressure, heart health, and body fat. Business consultant Michael Hadley used a machine at Huntingdon library, where results indicated his blood pressure was slightly raised and his body fat was high. Councillor Luis Navarro for Cambridgeshire County Council stated that uptake of the mobile health checks has been encouraging. Navarro said use of the machines is now almost evenly split between men and women, adding, "It's free, accessible, and the results are almost instant."

In Cambridgeshire, approximately 40% of those attending health checks in surgeries are men, compared to about 60% who are women. Nationally, one in five men in England die before the age of 65, while roughly one in eight women die before that age. Women in England live, on average, almost four years longer than men. Cancer accounts for the largest share of male deaths in England, and heart disease is the single biggest killer.

Shane Newton, 56, was diagnosed with prostate cancer that had spread to his bones after a PSA test result of 78; doctors state a level over 4 is a red flag for men his age. Newton attributed his fatigue to working long hours in a factory. "I kept putting it off, and just left it too long, I realise that now," Newton said. "It's just a man thing.. You just don't like to admit you're not feeling good, you just sort of get on with life, you have aches and pains..."

Dr. Neil Modha, a GP at Thistlemoor Medical Centre in Peterborough, noted that some men delay seeking medical help until symptoms become severe. "They may come in, for example, telling us they've lost two stones in weight, and we would hope they would have come sooner," Modha said. He added that many people have busy jobs and weekday services may not suit them. "Many people might be in really busy jobs, and so Monday to Friday services may not work for them," Modha said. "We need to offer Saturdays, and here, we do open up on Saturdays until five o'clock."