One man in five dies before the age of 65.
TOGETHER we can change that.

Dr Ian Banks - Obituary

03/03/26 . Blog

Everyone at the Men's Health Forum, past and present, was devastated to hear of the death of Dr Ian Banks, the man who effectively invented men's health in the UK.

He was one of the founders of the Forum and its President until 2012.

A passionate advocate for the health of men and boys, he was also the first President of the European Men's Health Forum from its foundation in 2001, the official BMA spokesperson for men's health issues, the Deputy Editor of the Men's Health Journal, medical editor for Men's Health magazine, and the author of many books about men's health. Ian was visiting Professor of Men's Health in Europe at Leeds Metropolitan University, visiting Professor in Men's Health at the University of Ulster, visiting Professor in Cancer Inequalities at Leeds University, and Honorary Senior Lecturer in men and cancer at Queens University Medical School.

A brilliant writer, he wrote many acclaimed books including the award-winning series for Haynes: the Man Workshop Manual, Baby Workshop Manual, Sex Workshop Manual, Woman Workshop Manual, Toddler Manual, Cancer Manual, HGV MAN (on men and weight) and Brain (dealing with men and mental wellbeing). All told, he wrote or edited dozens manuals and publications on various areas of men’s health with an estimated distribution of over two million copies.

Ian was for some years a member of BMA Council, a member of its General Medical Services Committee and a Chair of the GP Trainees Subcommittee.  

A seminal influence in promoting a focus on men's and boys' health over more than thirty years, Ian was also the dearly loved husband of Hilary, the much loved father of Jen, John, Beth and Peter and a proud grandfather to Lorcán, Lasairíona, Cara and Aoibheann.

Even as fine a wordsmith as he would struggle to find the words to say just how much we will miss Ian. 

Ian Banks 1951-2026

The Men’s Health Forum need your support

It’s tough for men to ask for help but if you don’t ask when you need it, things generally only get worse. So we’re asking.

In the UK, one man in five dies before the age of 65. If we had health policies and services that better reflected the needs of the whole population, it might not be like that. But it is. Policies and services and indeed men have been like this for a long time and they don’t change overnight just because we want them to.

It’s true that the UK’s men don’t have it bad compared to some other groups. We’re not asking you to ‘feel sorry’ for men or put them first. We’re talking here about something more complicated, something that falls outside the traditional charity fund-raising model of ‘doing something for those less fortunate than ourselves’. That model raises money but it seldom changes much. We’re talking about changing the way we look at the world. There is nothing inevitable about premature male death. Services accessible to all, a population better informed. These would benefit everyone - rich and poor, young and old, male and female - and that’s what we’re campaigning for.

We’re not asking you to look at images of pity, we’re just asking you to look around at the society you live in, at the men you know and at the families with sons, fathers and grandads missing.

Here’s our fund-raising page - please chip in if you can.

Registered with the Fundraising Regulator

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  • The Men's Health Forum
  • 82 Tanner Street
  • London, SE1 3GN

Charity registered in England and Wales (no. 1087375). Company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (no. 4142349).