- Conference
- 2025 National Retired Members Conference
- Date
- 18 June 2025
- Decision
- Carried
Submitted by National Retired Black Members Network
This conference considers that older Black men’s health is of upmost importance to not just Black men but to their mothers, partners, friends and colleagues. Our concern about older Black men’s health reflects the drive for solidarity, equality, diversity and inclusion on the part of the wider union.
Conference notes that it has long been known that Black men suffer great health inequalities. This is backed up by years of research, some of which has been commissioned by the NHS and Government Departments.
Prostate Cancer is a growing concern amongst members of Black communities and clinicians. There is currently no National Health Service screening of those at greatest risk, namely Black Men, of developing Prostate Cancer.
Diabetes and hypertension are termed, ‘Silent Killers’ and have also been identified as conditions particularly affecting Black people in later life.
Mental Health is another area where Black men’s treatment and outcomes differ significantly to that of their white counterparts.
Conference notes the following alarming clinical facts
Prostate cancer
• 1 in 4 Black men will get prostate cancer, double the risk of other men.
• As a Black man, you’re also more likely to get prostate cancer if you’re 45 or over – and your risk gets higher as you get older, if your dad or brother has had prostate cancer, or your mum or sister has had breast cancer.
Diabetes
• Black African people in the UK are up to three times more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than White European people;
People from Black African, African Caribbean and South Asian backgrounds are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes from the age of 25. This is much younger than the white population, as their risk increases from 40.
Hypertension
• People of Black ethnicities have a higher risk of hypertension than the general population, the reasons for this are not clear cut.
Mental Health
• Despite higher prevalence, Black adults have the lowest mental health treatment rate of any ethnic group, at 6% (compared to 13% in the White British group).
• People from Black and Minority Ethnic groups living in the UK are more likely to be diagnosed with a psychotic disorder, seek help in a crisis situation and in A&E, be admitted to hospital with a mental health problem, experience a poor outcome from treatment and disengage from mainstream mental health services.
• 8% of Black or Black British adults have symptoms relating to post-traumatic stress disorder compared with 4% of their White British counterparts.
• Black people are more than 4 times more likely to be the subject of ‘restrictive interventions’ such as being restrained or held in isolation while in hospital.
In light of this, Conference calls on National Retired Members to:
1. Work with National Black Members Committee to produce an annual Newsletter/Information sheet during the months of October (to coincide with Black History Month) and Prostate Cancer – November (to coincide with Movember):
2. Work with the NEC and Labour Link to lobby Government for the provision of resources to enable and support NHS service providers to develop a recognised/approved system for screening/testing of those at higher risk, i.e. older Black men, presenting to primary care with associated symptoms and risk factors;
3. Work with the NEC and Labour Link to lobby Government to provide a screening service for those at increased risk, namely Black men aged 45 and over and to provide a targeted publicity campaign to include: risk factors, symptoms to look out for and how/when to seek help.