International Men's Day, 2023

International Men’s Day, is a global day of recognition for men. It invites everyone to come together to celebrate men and boys in all their diversity.

This Sunday (19 November 2023) is International Men’s Day, a global awareness day which celebrates the positive value men bring to society, encouraging open discussions about men’s experiences and the unique challenges they may face.

The day also provides an opportunity to raise awareness about men’s health – both physical and mental. There is a culture of ‘manning up’ that is still prevalent in society today, and many men feel that there is an expectation for them not to be open about their emotions and how they are feeling. This can mean that some men can be reluctant to seek help when they need it. With suicide the biggest cause of death in men under the age of 50, it is vital that this culture changes.

At Team North West Anglia we have lots of incredible men who work in a wide variety of different roles, and for International Men's Day we have put the spotlight on just a handful of them, who have shared some insight into their journeys in the NHS and their views on the importance of health and wellbeing. You can hear from them below:

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Marc Stewart

Marc Stewart

My role is as a safeguarding professional working across all the trust sites. The safeguarding team work with staff and patients to ensure the wellbeing and safety of everyone in the trust. We work with relevant authorities such as social care, the police and charity partners to assess risks, implement protective measures and prevent and address potential harms. We work primarily with people who are the most vulnerable in the Trust, such as the elderly; those with learning disabilities; those with chronic or acute health conditions which means they cannot protect themselves; children and anyone who is unable to advocate for themselves for whatever reason. It’s important to us that patients feel as comfortable as possible whilst in the Trust, because if they do not, then it is a distraction from them getting the maximum benefit from the healthcare they have come to us to provide.

Another important part of our role is providing training for all staff on safeguarding. My background is in adult education, and I believe that training allows us to communicate with all staff directly and empower them by keeping them up to date with the latest trends and developments in safeguarding and supporting them to make the best patient decisions.

The two tips I would have for those struggling with health is firstly to talk to someone if things aren’t right. This is something that I have seen firsthand, my own father died of colorectal cancer because although he recognised the symptoms he only went to the GP when things were too far advanced for effective treatment. My other tip would be to regard mental and physical health as equally important. It can be difficult for men, especially in an environment where phrases like ‘man up’ and ‘boys don’t cry’ are common, to admit they are struggling with their mental health. We need to start thinking about mental health in the same sort of way that we think about physical health. Nobody bats an eyelid when someone breaks a leg and goes to get fitted for a cast, but it can be difficult for men to see seeking help from doctors for their mental health in the same way. Reducing the stigma of mental health, particularly among men, I feel is a really important part of making a society where everyone can flourish.