newy.com.au – Hunter MP Dan Repacholi has welcomed an $11.3 million expansion of a national training program aimed at helping frontline health workers better connect with male patients.
Mr Repacholi, Australia’s Special Envoy for Men’s Health, said the expansion of Movember’s Men in Mind program would give GPs, nurses, pharmacists and other primary healthcare workers practical strategies to build trust and encourage men to seek help earlier.
“Too many men are experiencing preventable health challenges and too many are not seeking support as early as they could,” Mr Repacholi said.
“For many men, reaching out for support can be difficult. We want men and boys to know that looking after your health is a sign of strength, not weakness.”
The Federal Government funding will expand Men in Mind beyond psychologists, counsellors, psychiatrists, social workers and mental health nurses, who were previously the program’s main participants.
Separate online courses are now available for GPs and rural generalists, practice and community nurses, and community pharmacists. The free, self-paced training takes between two and two-and-a-half hours and includes videos, conversation guides and resources designed for use during everyday consultations.
The program will be delivered with Primary Health Networks across Australia. The Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network has previously promoted the original Men in Mind course to local mental health and social care professionals and will help connect the wider primary care workforce with the expanded training.
The courses explore how masculinity, cultural background, life experiences and personal circumstances can affect the way men communicate about their health. They also cover signs of depression and suicide risk which may present as physical complaints, anger, irritability or changes in behaviour rather than more readily recognised expressions of emotional distress.
Movember’s 2024 Australian report, based on polling of 1,658 men, found almost two-thirds waited more than seven days after experiencing symptoms before visiting a doctor. It also found 67 per cent had considered leaving, or had left, a healthcare practitioner because they did not feel a strong personal connection.
The original Men in Mind program was examined in a randomised trial involving 587 Australian mental health practitioners. The study found a large improvement in participants’ self-rated ability to engage and respond to male clients after six weeks, although it measured practitioners’ assessment of their competence rather than patient outcomes.
Mr Repacholi said a trusted relationship with a healthcare worker could make it easier for men to raise concerns about their physical or mental health.
“Good health starts with a conversation and a trusted relationship. Whether it’s a concern about your mental health, a persistent symptom, or simply keeping on top of your wellbeing, talking to your GP or healthcare professional can make a real difference,” he said.
Health Minister Mark Butler said men were more likely to seek assistance early and remain engaged with their health when they felt understood and respected by their healthcare provider.
