This year Wimmera PCP and its member agencies are collaborating with The National Centre for Farmers Health who will be conducting Health screenings across the three days of the Wimmera Machinery Field Days and combining with local service providers to have an instant referral to those providers on site.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Agrihealth professionals from the NCFH will be conducting 20-minute farmer health and lifestyle assessments, which will include a clinical component and a lifestyle survey covering health behaviours, farm practices and social and emotional wellbeing.
Participants will be given a farmer health passport after their assessment and participants will be recommended to come and speak with local services following their health assessment, where applicable.
Participants will be encouraged to return to the NCFH stand, after their discussion with services, so that we can track their interactions and they'll receive a free coffee card. Participants will be contacted approximately 6-12 weeks after the event to evaluate whether they found this collaboration helpful in assisting to seek help and follow up referrals.
Collaboratively, this expert team will have an emphasis on preventive health and identifying strategies for farm men, women and agricultural workers to increase awareness and understanding of available support and referral pathways.
This collaboration will identify previously undiagnosed physical and mental health risk factors; improve health-seeking behaviour by farmers and their families; increase awareness of referral pathways, and increase individual uptake of referrals; increase knowledge and understanding of available support and improved physical and mental health outcomes for Victorian farmers, their families, and the communities in which they live and work - leading to increased productivity in the sector.
Local services attending include Rural Outreach Program Workers who will have available service directories around rural health services and information on how to access them. They will also be presenting in the ladies' pavilion on Tuesday and Thursday on 'It Costs Nothing to Talk'.
The Western Vic PHN's cancer nurse will be there to discuss bowel, prostate and breast screening programs; West Wimmera Health Services 'Systems Navigator' will be discussing how and where to access services; Child & Family Services Ballarat Inc will be providing free and confidential information, advice and counselling for anyone affected by gambling; the Royal Flying Doctors Service will be showcasing its health and wellbeing program and Wimmera Health Care Group and Centre for Participation will also be attending. Once again, the Wimmera Men's Shed Network will be showcasing the Sheds of the Wimmera, partnering again with Bunnings to bring shed skills and connection to the Moore Pavilion.
- Wimmera Primary Care Partnership