AQW 12207/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 20/05/2024
Answered On Date: 06/06/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail the mental health support available for farmers and agricultural workers, including those who have suffered animal culls.

Answer:

Mental health support in Northern Ireland is available to anyone who needs it. It is recognised that the farming community is particularly susceptible to poor health and wellbeing, partly driven by the wide demands impacting on farmers across a range of social and economic factors. They often work long and anti-social hours which can lead to social isolation and often have difficulty accessing traditional health care services. I’m also acutely mindful of the pressures and disruptions a positive Bovine TB reading can bring, both to the individual as well as the wider family unit.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) has supported Rural Support in delivering a range of services to help promote positive mental health among isolated rural dwellers, farmers and farm families across the region. These include:

Conducting information sessions to promote positive mental health, encourage farmers and rural dwellers to seek help and link with other support services;

Training for rural support staff and volunteers – to support, strengthen and build skills in mentors working on the rural support programme through coaching and skills development; and

Mentors providing one-to-one support to individuals experiencing financial distress and where appropriate signposting to other services. The team of mentors work closely with the Health and Social Care Trusts, Healthy Living Centres, Farm Family Health Checks and Rural GPs.

Rural Support’s Life Beyond programme provides support to farming families who have lost someone. It recognises that as well as the grief and trauma of the loss, there is also an added stress on the farm business, its day-to-day management and long-term plans.

The PHA also works in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to develop and co-fund the Farm Families Heath Checks (FFHC) Programme. The overall aim of the FFHC Programme is to improve the health and social wellbeing of rural farmers and farm families in Northern Ireland by increasing local access to health screening services, by providing health-related advice and information and to signpost to existing services for further advice and support.