Health hub helps hundreds of farmers access vital care
More than 700 people have used a rural health hub aimed at farmers and their families, with around 100 referred over blood pressure concerns since the service launched.
The Market Health Hub at Holsworthy livestock market has also resulted in just under 30 diabetes-related referrals since opening in 2023.
The service is being delivered through a partnership between the University of Exeter, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and not-for-profit social enterprise Imagine If.
Running every Wednesday at Holsworthy livestock market, the hub is designed to fit healthcare around farming routines by providing support in a familiar setting.
Rachel Williams, consultant respiratory practitioner for Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s about meeting farmers where they are – in spaces they know and trust.”
She added: “Rural and coastal communities face unique challenges in accessing services. Our aim is to improve health and wellbeing through a sustainable farming health hub.”
The hub is staffed by a nurse, community navigator and healthcare assistant.
Services include health checks, advice on stopping smoking and support with diabetes and pain management.
Plans are also being developed for drop-in clinics covering asthma and COPD, vaccinations, holistic wellbeing and long-term pain support.
The project comes amid wider concerns about access to healthcare in agriculture, where an ageing workforce and long working hours can make routine appointments difficult.
Figures cited by the project put the average UK farmer at 60, with 40% aged over 65 and almost half working more than 81 hours a week.
Mental wellbeing is another concern within the sector.
A 2024 survey found 91% of farmers regarded poor mental health as the biggest hidden problem in farming, while Office for National Statistics data recorded 88 suicides among men working in agriculture in 2023.
The University of Exeter is now evaluating the scheme to determine its impact and help inform decisions about future investment and possible wider roll-out.
Gemma Brailey, research lead at the university, said: “The hub is a testament to what can be achieved when research is co-produced with the people it is designed to serve.”
She added: “At the University of Exeter, we are leading the evaluation of this work to understand its impact and ensure that decisions about future investment and wider roll-out are grounded in robust evidence and lived experience.”
