Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust’s YourHealth service has launched a new dedicated YourHealth Coach for Farmers.
Funded through the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Men’s Mental Health Fund, this new initiative is designed to support the health and wellbeing of people working in agriculture across the North Yorkshire region.
The YourHealth Coach for Farmers, Alice, will be working directly with individuals and farming communities to help improve both their physical and mental wellbeing. The support Alice can provide includes help with lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, managing stress and accessing wider health services.
The YourHealth Coach for Farmers will:
• Provide one-to-one personalised health coaching
• Deliver support in community and rural settings
• Offer flexible appointments that fit around farming schedules
• Signpost to additional NHS and community services
• Work in partnership with local agricultural organisations
Alice has already been out visiting the communities and attending major events to promote the service.
One farmer who has already accessed support said: “The health check and chat was really worthwhile. It reminded me that looking after myself is just as important as looking after the livestock”. Another shared that: “It was relaxed and informal and felt more like having a chat, which made it much easier to open up about my health”.
The initiative builds on the success of the YourHealth Fishermen service, which already provides free personalised health coaching across the East and North Yorkshire region for the coastal fishing community.
By introducing a specialist focus on farming communities, the Trust aims to reduce health inequalities and improve access to preventative support for a group that is often harder to reach.
