Innovative Approach to Rural Healthcare: Bridging Gaps and Empowering Farmers
Introducing a groundbreaking strategy to enhance healthcare access for farmers in rural areas, addressing lower life expectancy and mental health concerns. By engaging with the farming community, offering health education, and promoting mental health support, this initiative aims to reduce inequalities and improve overall well-being.
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Anne Thomas, Staff Nurse, Out Patient Department, Anne Thomas, Staff Nurse, Out Patient Department, Dolgellau Dolgellau Hospital Hospital
New and unique strategy for hospital Out Patient staff to take health education out into the community and to encourage the community to come in Break down the barriers between hospital and community All staff to work together as a team, across boundaries of role, utilising skills and interests for the benefit of the community Bring care closer to home Become a Health Education Hub for the community Go to where men are (WHO 2014) Use third sector resources to support health education
Lower life expectancy 79 compared to 83 for women Premature death from cancer More deaths from cardiac disease Three times more likely to die from suicides with the highest incidence in farmers 1 per week Reasons Traditional gender attitudes of masculinity may contribute to inequalities in health in rural area Reluctance to access health services Later symptom presentation with poorer outcomes Reasons
Farmers Primary Primary Health Concerns (2018) 18 18 13 13 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 Mental health Stress Physical health Ambulance response More doctors No answer
To reduce inequalities in farmers mental and physical health in a rural community To engage with the farming community To make health education accessible and acceptable to farmers To encourage farmers to discuss mental health concerns To raise awareness of mental health support from Farming Community Network helpline To increase the uptake of helpline cards over a 6 month period
Held community engagement sessions Made links with the Farming Community Network Raised funds to produce bilingual materials Helpline cards distributed in the community to businesses, councils and emergency services Information to raise awareness of FCN helpline taken to farmers markets and fairs but with little engagement with farmers Opportunistic blood pressure sessions introduced in December 2018 in addition to raising awareness of support for mental health Raise awareness through television, radio, press and social media
Rural community hospital Out Patient Departments are well placed to support farmers mental health- accessible and acceptable within the community Encourage men to talk about how they feel and be available to listen Promote the Farming Community Network to provide support to farmers and families for depression, isolation, illness and stress Helpline cards and other materials distributed throughout the community Raise awareness through social media, county shows,
Opportunistic blood pressure testing Bowel cancer awareness initiative with BCUHB Skin cancer awareness and sun screen distribution (summer months) Influenza vaccination sessions with community pharmacy service
Community Helpline Card Distribution Monitor card distribution and replenishment. Feedback from businesses and emergency services very positive. Helpline Card Uptake Initial sessions resulted in few face to face contacts and poor uptake of 1-3 cards. Introducing blood pressure recording in October 2018 increased uptake to between 38-75 cards
Helpline Cards Taken by Farmers Helpline Cards Taken by Farmers 75 75 45 45 40 40 38 38 3 3 2 2 1 1 JUN-18 JUL-18 AUG-18 SEP-18 OCT-18 NOV-18 DEC-18 JAN-19 FEB-19
Blood Pressure Recordings from 4 Market Sessions Blood Pressure Recordings from 4 Market Sessions 200 198 180 160 147 140 120 100 80 60 43 40 20 8 0 Total BPs Total BPs Normal BP Normal BP High BP High BP Very High BP Very High BP
Opportunistic Blood Pressure Recordings 21% of farmers were found to have blood pressure above 140/90 and 4% had very high blood pressure of 180/120. Referred to GP as appropriate. Several had never had BP taken before. Calls to Helpline Calls from North Wales have increased. Media BBC and S4C news 2018 and 2019 S4C Ffermio May 2019 Radio Wales Farming Focus January 2019
Qualitative Feedback Qualitative Feedback I do believe that we need more volunteers (for the helpline) as the demands on our availability definitely seem to be increasing (in North Wales) Sue Hudson, FCN Secretary February 2019 I am truly overwhelmed by the effort you and your colleagues are putting into supporting our work in Wales. We are so grateful and amazed by the incredible response it is receiving. This is a true vindication of the value of partnerships working together on common goals . Charles Smith, FCN Chief Executive January 2019 We need a lot more things like this in our mart. I wouldn t go to my GP if I was stressed and my wife has been nagging me to have my blood pressure taken. I would even have a flu jab if I could have it here Farmer, 56 February 2019
Influencing future international European mens health strategies by collaborating with the WHO Model of rural health is used as an example of good practice in: The Health and Wellbeing of Men in the WHO European Region: better health through a gender approach (2018)
Proposal from Public Health Wales to evaluate initiative Interest from Bowel Cancer UK, Cancer Research and Bowel Screening Wales Inclusion in Public Health Wales Supporting Farming Communities in a Time of Uncertainty Contribution to BCUHB three year plan Working in Partnership to Improve Health and Deliver Excellent Care Across North Wales Model of health education has been transferred to factories and industrial estates in NE Wales towns
