Minister stops off at Saintfield Mart

Minister stops off at Saintfield Mart

30 November 2016

STORMONT Agriculture Minister Michelle McIlveen has praised the role of the Farm Families Health Checks Programme which provides screening services and advice to rural communities.

The minister recently spent time at Saintfield Mart, accompanied by owner Brian Murphy, where she spoke with farmers and met nurses carrying out health checks on board a specially adapted screening vehicle for farmers who were attending the cattle auction. 

The Minister took the opportunity to speak with Downpatrick farmer, Laurence Murphy, who was the 12,000th person to avail of a free health check since the programme’s launch in the summer of 2012.

Funded through the government department’s Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Programme, the health checks are delivered in conjunction with the Public Health Agency and the Northern Health Trust.

Highlighting the importance of rural communities having access to such necessary services, Ms McIlveen said farmers dedicate a lot of hours to their business and there is a general view that some focus more on their business than their own wellbeing. 

“Farmers working long and anti-social hours face greater isolation and tend to come from a culture of self-sufficiency and are reluctant to seek help, particularly in relation to physical and indeed mental health issues” said the minister.

“I had the opportunity of meeting with Mr Murray, who is the 12,000th person to avail of the health check service and to hear from nurses Doreen Bolton, Sylvia Moore and Lorna Barr, about some of the cases where the screening programme identified underlying issues that if left untreated could have had a detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of that person.”

Ms McIlveen said just under half of the 12,000 farmers and farm family members screened to date have been advised to visit their GP.

She added: “The service has been further enhanced with the introduction of a detailed cardiovascular disease and mental health well being assessment. I would urge farmers and their families to avail of a health screening when visiting local marts or community events. This unique and very thorough programme has and will continue to have life changing impacts for rural dwellers.”