Nearly two thirds of British men find it hard to make a doctor’s appointment - according to research from the Men and Boys Coalition1.
Some are put off by waiting times, others by the inconvenience of appointments, and some think GPs are only for really ill people, and they should be able to ‘tough it out’ by themselves.
But that reluctance to see a GP is costing lives. Men are at risk of missing important diagnoses, and worsening conditions that could have been caught early and treated simply.
That includes potentially ‘embarrassing’ issues like prostate cancer – the most common form of cancer amongst men with more than 55,000[2] cases diagnosed each year. Nearly 100%[3] of those who catch it at its earliest stage survive five years or more after their diagnosis, compared to just 50% of those with stage 4 prostate cancer.
It also includes suicide – the biggest killer of men under the age of 50[4] in the UK. Men are more likely than women not to seek help for their mental health, and to try and deal with mental health issues on their own because they’re ashamed - or don’t want to be a burden.
How Equipsme supports men’s health
At Equipsme, it’s our aim to speed up access to primary healthcare - and open up access to secondary healthcare. That means our products and services can cut through some of the barriers that men face. Here’s how:
1. 24/7 GP Service
If you can’t get an appointment with your community GP that suits your working hours, or if you’re squeamish about talking to someone in person, our virtual GP service is there for you 24/7. Most appointments are made within 24 hours, there’s no time limit on your consultation, and our 24/7 Health Hero GPs can issue private referral letters that can be submitted as part of a claim to find out if the condition and treatment is covered. And if you’d rather speak to a male or female GP you have the option to choose.
Find out more about using the GP Service
2. Physiotherapy sessions
Don’t struggle on with an injury – your Equipsme plan comes with access to MSK specialists and physiotherapy sessions, that can help you get twinges, strains or more serious muscle, ligament and tendon issues assessed by the claims team at AXA Health and if covered, help you find a physiotherapist near you.
Find out more about how to get physiotherapy support through Equipsme
3. Wellbeing Support line
If your company has chosen it as part of your plan, our stress support line is a great place to start talking if something is on your mind. It’s free, it’s confidential, and it’s not just about work-place stress. Qualified counsellors are on hand to talk about relationship issues, debt, legal problems, generalised depression and anxiety. They can help you understand your feelings and make a plan to manage them - and start feeling better.
Find out more about how to use the Wellbeing Support line
4. Diagnosis and treatment
If diagnosis and/or treatment is part of your plan, it means you’ve got a fast track to getting on top of your health issues. If your claim is covered, see an AXA Health specialist at a private hospital near you, and get the health tests and answers you need, faster.
Find out how to use Equipsme diagnosis services
Find out more about how to use Equipsme treatment services
Equipsme in action
When Andy injured his knee playing football with his kids, his first instinct was to put a pack of peas on it and power through the pain. But when things started to get worse that weekend, he called the Equipsme GP. When he was told he should go to hospital he discovered the pain was actually a suspected blood clot – and Equipsme stepped in again to get him to a specialist.
Andy says: “Right now I’m seeing both the osteopath and a haematologist to work out how to fix up my injury, and how long I might need to be on blood thinners – which is possibly some time or even the rest of my life. I’m off the crutches, and I’m barely even limping anymore! It might be a while before I’m back on a football pitch, though…
“I’ve had private health insurance before. It was twice the price and incredibly complicated to use. Equipsme is cost effective, flexible, easy to use, approachable – and interfaces smoothly with NHS services. They really were a dream team, and I dread to think what might have happened if they hadn’t been so amazing, and so joined up.”
Sources:
1 www.menandboyscoalition.org.uk
2 www.cancerresearchuk.org
3 www.cancerresearchuk.org
4 www.england.nhs.uk
All our information is desk-based research from credible sources only, including the NHS and medical/disease charities.
Date created: October 2024
