BAUS Launches "Check In, Don't Check Out" Awareness Campaign

Surgeons urge men to prioritise their health during Men’s Health Awareness Week (10 – 16 June)

09 June 2025 (Last updated: 9 Jun 2025 08:35)

The majority of UK men would rather chat about things like the British weather or politics than have a potential life-saving conversation with a GP around their urological health.

Data released today (Monday 9 June) indicates that nearly a quarter of UK men would rather talk about the British weather or political / social issues with a friend or loved one, than talk to their GP about a urological condition or symptoms that they’re facing.

View the topic infographics using the carousel at the bottom of this article

It comes after the urological charity The British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) commissioned a "state of the nation’"survey via YouGov into the mindsets of men and their attitudes and approaches to their urological health and wellbeing.

In a survey of 1,010 UK men, nearly a quarter (23%) suggested the UK weather was a conversation they were more comfortable in having with friends or loved ones than with a GP about urological issues such as urinating more often or blood in urine or semen. 26% of men would rather talk about political or social issues, over a quarter (27%) would rather chat sports and hobbies while staggeringly nearly a fifth of men (18%) would rather get philosophical and talk about the meaning of life than talk to their GP about health issues impacting their urological health.

A rallying cry is being made by BAUS to all UK men – and their loved ones – to ensure that they “check in, don’t check out”, if something doesn’t seem right, and to ensure that they know their bodies as part of a new initiative for Men’s Health Awareness Week (10 - 16 June 2025). It follows research that indicated that nearly a quarter of men (24%) are uncomfortable talking to a healthcare professional about a urological issue.

Stigma and taboo are still very much attached to men’s health, more so when it comes to urological health. Among those who have experienced a urological issue or symptom - such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction or a testicular lump - almost a third (32%) said they have delayed seeking medical advice.

The survey discovered that nearly a quarter of men (24%) would feel uncomfortable talking to their GP about a urological issue or symptom.

Yet, more than a third of men (39%) who said they would avoid discussing issues with a healthcare professional said this was because of worry that their symptoms were not serious enough to warrant visiting the doctors.

Nearly a third (31%) of men who said they would avoid discussing issues with a healthcare professional said that they believed their symptoms – which could include blood in urine or semen – would clear up on their own.

Among those who said they would avoid discussing issues with a healthcare professional, fear of embarrassment (35%), receiving bad news or a serious diagnosis (31%) also played its part in men not seeking medical advice from a healthcare professional, further heightening the plight UK men face when discussing their health and wellbeing due to the stigma attached to the subject.

The findings underscore an alarming trend: a significant percentage of men are delaying or avoiding health discussions, citing reasons such as embarrassment, uncertainty about symptoms, and fear of diagnosis.

Know your body. Know your normal

Professor Ian Pearce, Consultant Urologist at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and President of BAUS, expressed concern over the results, emphasising the importance of early intervention:

“These findings are a real wake-up call. Far too often, we see men ignoring symptoms or delaying seeking advice from their GP because they’re embarrassed or think it's not serious enough.

“We are urging men to know their bodies, know what is normal for them – whether that’s checking for lumps and bumps or noticing that they’re urinating more often – and to check in with a healthcare professional, don’t check out and think it’s not urgent or important enough.

“Our message is simple: checking in on your health today could save your life tomorrow. A conversation with your GP could spot an urgent issue and lead to an early diagnosis, with treatment options and outlooks vastly improved as a result.”

When UK men were quizzed about why they wouldn’t talk to a healthcare professional about their symptoms, respondents were quick to point towards the difficult in securing an appointment with their local GP or potential delays and long timescales for specialist referrals.

However, more than two fifths (44%) of UK men think that healthcare professionals being more proactive in asking about men's urological health would make it easier for men to talk more openly about it.

A similar number of men (39%) believed that men publicly sharing their experiences to ‘normalise’ conversations around urological health would be of benefit to having frank, honest conversations around the topic.

Focusing on common but often overlooked urological issues - such as prostate enlargement, testicular pain, and bladder issues - the campaign seeks to challenge the stigma around men’s health, highlight the benefits of early detection and intervention and the all-importance in engaging in proactive health discussions and routine check-ups when something doesn’t appear to be right.

Empowering men to take back control of their health

BAUS CEO Mary Suphi echoed this urgency, stressing the broader implications of neglecting urological health:

"The stigma around men’s health conversations must be broken.

“We know that men are statistically less likely to seek medical advice, but this reluctance comes at a cost. Ignoring symptoms can lead to complex and, in some cases, irreversible conditions.

“Speak to your GP if you have any niggling concerns. You know what is normal for you and you know if something doesn’t seem or feel right with your own body. This campaign is about empowering men with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to take their health seriously - before it’s too late.

“We – along with our 2,500 Consultant Urologists, trainees and healthcare professional members – want to ensure that no man, nor their families and friends, are left to rue a late diagnosis which could have potentially been avoided through the means of an early, proactive conversation around urological health.”

Take charge of your health today

BAUS is providing simple, clear steps to help men take charge of their urological health as part of Men’s Health Awareness Week :

Self-check regularly : learn what to look for when checking for lumps or unusual changes
Talk to your GP : no symptom or concern is too small to mention; you know your body and what is normal for you.
Stay informed : resources and expert advice are available through the NHS

Changing the conversation

Through "Check In, Don’t Check Out," BAUS aims to challenge perceptions, encourage openness, and provide accessible resources to help men confidently recognise symptoms, seek medical advice, and prioritise health screening where appropriate.

To get involved, follow the conversation on LinkedIn and X using #CheckInDontCheckOut.