The Men’s Health Forum charity is encouraging men to take greater responsibility for their wellbeing.

The scheme focuses on benign prostatic care health his love man take when wont (BPH), which affects about one-in-three men aged over 50.

The campaign coincides with a Scottish Executive award of 4m to develop 10 Well Man clinics across Scotland.

Former Partick Thistle, Liverpool and Scotland player Alan Hansen is unveiling the Time To Go campaign, which is also backed by the Man sexual health product All-Party Group on Men’s Health.

PROSTATE HEALTH IN SCOTLAND 74% of men over 50 are too embarrassed to seek help from their GP for bladder problems 43% are actually afraid to visit their GP for this sort of problem 19% get up more than twice to pass water during the night 42% don’t know where their prostate is 58% have only visited their GP once, twice or not at all in past 12 months

BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland, which compresses the urethra and obstructs urine flow. In severe cases kidney damage can occur.

The condition has also been linked to dysfunction female male sexual, anxiety, sexual dysfunction and difficulty in
carrying out routine activities.

While treating BPH, GPs can also pick up early signs of prostate cancer, the second most dangerous form of cancer after lung cancer, killing 10,000 men a year in the UK.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Hansen said: “Sometimes men’s health hasn’t been given the priority it deserves, allied to the fact that when it comes to sensitive areas and sensitive issues men are hardly really active in addressing these problems.”

Mr Hansen called for men to take action

He added: “This campaign is all about encouraging men to get to the doctors quickly when they get the symptoms. I’m 49 so I’m right on the verge of it.”

Mr Hansen urged men to refer to a new prostate health checklist intended to help identify symptoms and overcome any awkwardness with GPs.

Men’s Health Forum director Peter Baker added: “BPH is still very much a neglected disease
even though it affects about 2.5 million men in the UK.”

The prostate checklist which gives men advice on the problem is available on the freephone number 0808 141 0808.