New walk-in health service set to launch to help Whitby fishermen
The 'SeaFit' programme is coming the town and surrounding villages next month
Fishermen in and around Whitby can get help with their physical and mental health and wellbeing from next month.
It is as the NHS Health Trainers is set to bring their service to the town and surrounding villages like Robin Hood's Bay.
The ‘Working with Fishermen’ service allows the team to work with local fishermen and their dependants, following a successful two year pilot on the Holderness coast from Bridlington to Withernsea. It was then introduced in Scarborough last year.
Richard Beecroft, who is from the SeaFit team at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We support patients by taking the service to them. We have a mobile vehicle with a consultation room in the back and from there we can prefer NHS health checks, we can have dentists in the back, physiotherapy and we can support patients in improving their wellbeing both physical and mental.
"One of the issues with the fishing industry and service is they're not very forthcoming going to appointments, so by taking a service to them where they don't have to leave the harbour is giving them an insight into their health, so we can then refer them onto their GP for further investigation or medication.
"Things can start really small like they might have a little bit of blood pressure or their cholesterol might be slightly elevated and if it's caught early enough it can prevent somebody from having an early death really.
"It's about not being afraid and understanding that health can be affected by your job and then just biting the bullet really and popping in to see us. A lot of the fishermen I've spoken to previously have said 'I wish I'd came to see you early because you're non-judgemental and you can support me with health and wellbeing.' It's all confidential and it's part of the NHS."
As part of this project, the team will introduce the SeaFit programme to local residents who require support for:
• Weight management
• Healthy Eating
• Smoking Cessation
• Alcohol and Addictions
• Isolation and Loneliness
• Financial help
• Welfare
• Emotional Wellbeing
The SeaFit programme is a joint initiative between the Seafarers Hospital Society and The Fishermen’s Mission, to deliver sustainable improvements in the health and wellbeing of fishermen and their families around the United Kingdom.
Working with local partners, the team can also provide regular health and body composition checks raising the awareness of the preventative measures of long term health conditions.