If you’ve a man in your family, you may be familiar with the old adage: “Never explain, never complain”. The late Queen’s modus operandi, it’s proven that delaying seeking help or bottling up issues results in worse symptoms and poorer outcomes.
With men still 50% less likely to seek medical attention than women, the spotlight is on Men’s Health this month, leading up to Father’ Day on 21st June. It highlights the importance of early intervention and open conversations, to improve the health of men, boys, and the families who care about them.
It’s a mission close to the heart of Lancaster’s Brock Street Pharmacy, who moved in late 2024 specifically to provide greater facilities to encourage everyone, including men, to seek help sooner; including a wider range of treatments and clinics in discreet, private consulting rooms.
With GP and NHS services under increasing stress, and waiting lists years long, or even closed, pharmacists like Brock Street play an increasingly vital role. Yet many are unaware of the community-based services available, like ‘Pharmacy First’: over-the-counter NHS prescription medications for conditions like sinusitis, insect bites, shingles, impetigo, ear infections and urinary tract infections.
“We’re increasingly supporting people with services they might otherwise struggle to access quickly, including men’s health,” says Tariq Malik, co-owner and founder alongside wife Nabila. “Often, it’s about providing a trusted space and an understanding ear to make that initial conversation as easy and comfortable as possible.”
Thoughtfully reimagined as a modern healthcare hub, the team love that the pharmacy, a restored Victorian Oddfellows meeting hall dating back to 1844, continues its historic legacy as a community meeting place.
“Some men especially don’t feel comfortable booking a GP appointment, or may struggle to get one quickly,” says Tariq. “But they might feel able to pop into a pharmacy for a quiet conversation; taking that first vital step.”
With four private consultation rooms and an expanding team of loyal staff, the pharmacy now offers a range of discreet services particularly relevant to men, including support for hair loss, erectile dysfunction, mental health and general wellbeing, alongside simple at-home prostate health testing kits.
The team hopes more people will begin to see their local pharmacy as a first port of call: not just for toiletries or prescriptions, but for a wide range of health and preventative care, from modern weight management treatment to onsite travel vaccinations.
“Pharmacists have never been needed more, so it’s great that people are finding how much more their local pharmacy provides” says Tariq.
