The Parish Magazine February 2026

HEALTH BY ANNE ELGETI
Stronger, healthier, longer:
England’s Men’s Health Strategy
England's Men Heath Strategy was published at the end of
November. It focuses on six key areas:
— improving access to care
— supporting behaviour change
— creating healthier workplaces
— boosting mental health support
— enhancing cancer screening
— funding research.
Practical measures include workplace health checks,
community outreach, and digital services tailored to men’s needs.
Mental health is a priority, with £3.6 million earmarked for
suicide prevention and expanded school-based support reaching
nearly a million pupils by 2026.
Prostate cancer screening will also become easier, with athome
PSA tests available via the NHS App from 2027.
HELPING MEN LIVE LONGER
Crucially, the strategy addresses stigma and low help-seeking
behaviours through partnerships with trusted voices, including
sport organisations. By combining cultural change with targeted
investment, the initiative promises to help men live longer,
healthier, and happier lives.
Key themes identified include high rates of cancer, especially
prostate, testicular and penile , heart disease, mental health, low
help-seeking behaviours, suicide, and inequalities in access to
screening.
CULTURALLY SENSITIVE
Men in deprived areas live up to a decade less in good health
and are significantly less likely to seek timely care.
To tackle this issue, the strategy outlines:
— Improving access to healthcare: funding community
programmes, digital services and healthcare professionals trained
in men’s needs.
— Supporting behaviour change: Investing in stop-smoking,
reducing alcohol, gambling and drug harms. — Creating healthy
living and working environments: Launching workplace health
pilots, NHS Health Checks in male-dominated jobs, and resilience
campaigns.
— Mental health and suicide prevention: Allocating £3.6 million
over three years for suicide prevention in middle-aged men and
expanding school-based mental health support to reach over
900,000 pupils by April 2026.
— Cancer and screening: Introducing at-home PSA testing from
2027 via the NHS App.
— Research and communications: Funding research into maledominant
conditions and simplifying health messaging with
easy-read formats.
The strategy calls for culturally sensitive outreach through
partnerships such as with the Premier League to dismantle
stigma and drive uptake of health care services.
Take action today: book your NHS Health Check, talk openly
about mental health, visit: nhs.uk/mens health for tips and support.
Your health matters — don’t wait!
The full strategy can be found at gov.uk/publications.
The Parish Magazine — February 2026 33
BLADDER CANCER
WHO'S AT RISK?
Anne Elgeti
More than a thousand patients living with bladder cancer
every year can now receive a breakthrough treatment that can
double survival rates from the disease. This treatment was
approved for use on the NHS from August 2025 and is ‘one of the
most hopeful advances in decades for people with bladder cancer.’
The combination treatment works by using a powerful
two-pronged attack, with enfortumab vedotin directly targeting
the cancer cells and killing them, while pembrolizumab, an
immunotherapy drug, helps the immune system recognise and
fight the remaining cancer cells. It is given via an IV infusion
to people whose bladder cancer has spread to other parts of he
body or cannot be surgically removed. Clinical trials of the drug
demonstrated the following results.
— People with bladder cancer that had spread (metastasised) lived
up to twice as long when given this treatment compared to those
given normal chemotherapy.
— Survival rates increased from around 1.5 years with
chemotherapy to more than 2.5 years.
— the length of time the treatment kept the cancer at bay more
than doubled – from just over 6 months to 1.5 years.
— Nearly 30% of patients had no detectable traces of cancer in
their body following treatment with enfortumab vedotin and
pembrolizumab, compared with 12.5% with chemotherapy.
— Patients also experienced fewer harmful side effects with the
combination treatment, thanks to its selective targeting.
Bladder cancer is more common in men and people over 60.
It’s not always known what causes bladder cancer, but you may be
more likely to get it if you:
— Smoke or use chew tobacco.
— Have had a urinary catheter in for a long time.
— Have had radiotherapy for cancer before
— Are overweight.
— Have a close relative who has had bladder cancer.
— You have worked with chemicals, such as those used in textile
industry or handing carbon or crude oil.
— You have had an infection called schistosomiasis (bilharzia)
an infection caused by tiny worms that live in ponds, lakes, and
rivers. These worms live in tropical and sub-tropical parts of the
world including Africa, the Middle East, southern and southeast
Asia, parts of South America and the Caribbean.
Bladder cancer symptoms can include:
— Blood in your urine
— Pain burning stinging or itching when you pass urine.
— Multiple urinary tract infections
— Needing to pee more often
— Suddenly losing your appetite and losing weight
— Pain in your back and lower abdomen
— Aching pain or tenderness in your bones
— Feeling very tired for no reason and unwell
Always seek medical advice!