Another example of the need for a “minister” for men. Like “rough sleeping” men are disadvantaged by services being designed for “vulnerable” people (which mainly means women) and effectively ignoring men’s specific needs. Though not a complete answer to this growing problem mainly effecting men it would help if our social care for older people services were not completely designed around old women. In a way this reflected the fact that men used to die pretty much just after retirement thus those living into old age were overwhelmingly women (and of course they also were using services from age 60) so there were few older men. But this has changed with men, fortunately living beyond retirement. A decade ago Age Concern (as it was then) did work on this as a key growing problem. Of course nothing was done about how statutary services target their attention nor on trying to make services “male friendly”. Just like homelessness services men are literally left out. Of course services can’t fill every gap by our “broken society” but they could do a lot more https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12776125/Alarming-17-fold-spike-number-Brits-left-undiscovered-dying-home-Experts-blame-massive-rise-societal-breakdown.
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Justice for Men & Boys 
Brits dying and left undiscovered at home, this is not surprising to me, as about a months ago I rang Thanes Valley police to do a welfare check on a vulnerable service user. No problem took the details and got back to me saying he was alive and well. A month on same service user same call very different response. Welfare calls no longer covered by police, now the responsibility of the ambulance service, who I believe are overstretched.
So speaking to the responder he explained that the new scheme is called Right Care Right Person . I asked for a number for the ambulance service, wrong number not recognised. Rang back explained, he said ring 111 I did , got through to Cardiff and Vale health board I live in Cardiff. We can’t help we only deal with people in Wales. Can you give me the number for Thames Valley ambulance service no sorry don’t have it . Back to Thames Valley police. The responder was helpful he rang the ambulance service from another phone . I was then connected. The responder had all the service users details , I asked what would happen next. We will ring him . No answer I said , I have tried so many times . So will discuss his case and decide if we will visit. Will you contact me and let me know . Sorry data protection. So anyone making a welfare call in future, it seems they will not be told if the vulnerable person is alive or dead. So what is the point in making the call in the first place ?
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Thanks Anne, what a deplorable situation.
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