Livestock market health checks offered to farmers
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation TrustA Devon livestock market that attracts farmers from all over south-west England and beyond is also encouraging them to get a full health check while they are on the site.
The farming health hub at the weekly Holsworthy Livestock Market has been set up to offers farmers a convenient way to get a full NHS health review and support for mental health too.
Roland Nancekivell farms in north Cornwall and said he had often missed appointments with his GP because he was too busy on his farm.
He said sitting down with the market nurse and telling her what was on his mind had been beneficial to his physical and mental health because "she'll do all she can to pick you up and that's priceless".
The farming health hub, which is available on Wednesdays when the livestock market takes place, is a joint project by the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the University of Exeter, social enterprise Imagine If and the market chaplaincy.
The aim is to improve access to health services for people living in rural areas.
Dr Judy Parsons is clinical director for Coast and Country Primary Care Network (PCN) and a partner in Stratton Medical Centre.
She said the hub was proving to be invaluable as it offered a way of reaching farmers who were a "really hard to reach population".
The doctor said it was "just a light touch really" but effective in helping catch any underlying conditions early.
Nurse at the centre Buffy Flanagan said in the few months the hub had been up and running, a number of potentially serious conditions had been picked up.
She said one farmer said he "felt like he was walking through treacle" and this led to him being referred to medical services and then undergoing a triple by-pass.
All those involved in the project said their goal was to continue encouraging farmers to visit them in the hub in a bid to achieve better health for all farmers in the future.
