Australian delegation visits Ahoghill to learn from NI’s Farm Families Health Checks Programme

(Left) Farm Family Nurses Lorna Barr, Colette Johnston, Christina Faulkner, Katie Johnston

(Right) Alison Kennedy, Director of the National Centre for Farmer Health in Victoria Jacqui Cotton, Agricultural Health Deakin University Doreen Bolton, Farm Families Coordinator  and Yvonne Carson, Rural Health and Wellbeing Manager.

The Farm Families Health Checks team has welcomed a delegation from Australia as it showcased its pioneering approach to improving the health and wellbeing of rural communities in Northern Ireland.

Alison Kennedy, Director of the National Centre for Farmer Health in Victoria, and Jacqui Cotton, who leads the Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Health at Deakin University, travelled to Ahoghill to see the initiative in action.

The visit was hosted by Bann Maine West and supported by Farm Families Health and Wellbeing Locality Lead Doreen Bolton, Farm Families Coordinator Christina Faulkner, and Rural Health and Wellbeing Manager Yvonne Carson.

Doreen Bolton explained:

“Alison plays a key role in delivering a health check service in Australia similar to the Farm Families programme and with a strong focus on mental health, although without a mobile unit.

“Together with Jacqui, they were keen to learn more about how the Farm Families model is implemented in Northern Ireland, reflecting the high regard in which the programme is held internationally. The visit proved to be an engaging and thought-provoking exchange of ideas and discussions.”

Supporting rural health since 2012

The Farm Families Health Checks Programme was established in July 2012 and has been delivered regionally by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Its aim is to improve the health and social wellbeing of farmers, their families, and rural dwellers by providing accessible health screening and signposting individuals to appropriate support services.

The project is jointly funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Public Health Agency (PHA). Since its launch, the service has screened 27,446 clients, with 12,846 referred to their GP for further support.

The recent visit highlighted the international recognition of the initiative and the importance of knowledge-sharing between rural health experts across the globe.

For further information on the programme, email farm.families6@northerntrust.hscni.net.