Seafarers Hospital Society has developed and implemented a number of exciting health development projects, and innovative pilot programmes. Here are details of six of those past projects.
Emergency Dental Grant Scheme
The shortage of NHS dental appointments has impacted people on low incomes hardest, meaning they are less likely to have dental treatment than those on higher incomes which essentially is driving health inequalities higher. Nationally there is limited funding for the provision of NHS dentistry, in Cornwall alone there are at least 48,000 patients waiting for an NHS dental appointment. Many people can sometimes wait for years before their name comes to the top of that list and once it does, it doesnât necessarily mean they will be seen close to where they live – sometimes the NHS spaces that become available are elsewhere in the county. This is especially difficult for seafarers as they may not be able to make the appointment due to being at sea and many cannot afford the immediate costs of private treatment.
That is why SHS have set up an Emergency Dental Grant Scheme, funded by the MNWB, for working MN seafarers and fishermen who need urgent dental treatment which they cannot access on the NHS.
Brighter Smiles (Cornwall)
Working as a seafarer is one of the UK’s most challenging jobs and the number of work-related injuries is high caused by the physical demands and repetitive nature of work as a seafarer. Time spent at sea means it can be difficult to get treatment, so the Seafarers Hospital Society supports free, fast-track physiotherapy for working seafarers.
Following the Covid-19 Pandemic, it has become increasingly difficult for seafarers to access physiotherapy from the NHS due to the length of waiting lists for NHS treatment.
SHS has been funding fast track physiotherapy sessions for seafarers but the demand for these has increased significantly. This project enables us to continue to provide these much needed physiotherapy sessions in order to keep seafarers fit to work at sea. In addition to this we will expand the size of our existing functioning Network in order to extend the areas in which the service is offered nationally and to help more seafarers access physiotherapy.
As part of this project SHS will videos featuring preventative exercises to reduce injuries, which seafarers can access online. These will be used online, in conjunction with social media campaigns designed to promote increased musculoskeletal health in seafarers.
BRIGHTER-SMILES
Brighter Smiles â our work in 2023
4,800
Cornish children engaged in oral health programme
120
Children participating in toothbrushing clubs daily
600
Number of oral health education packs funded
Dental Project
Dental health is just as important as physical and mental health but when seafarers are out at sea it is often not a priority. If they canât get to see a dentist, or they neglect their teeth it can lead to significant problems later on, that is why the Seafarers Hospital Society has partnered with the Fishermenâs Mission and community dental providers Dentaid and Smile Together, to take dental health services into the fishing community through the SeaFit Programme. We will provide free dental checks and immediate treatment for fishers and their families at a variety of harbourside locations as part of SeaFit health events. Using state of the art mobile dental units, to provide high quality dental care where itâs needed.
Another element of this project is to extend those services to merchant seafarers and visit ports and seafarersâ centres to provide immediate dental care for seafarers from a mobile dental unit. This particular project is funded by the MNWB.
Defibrillator Project
Seafarer physical health, welfare, and mental illness have been regular challenges within the maritime sector. Cardio Vascular Disease is an important area that requires attention and is one of the largest killers at sea. A stopped heart results in lack of oxygenated blood being circulated to the brain, meaning victims may die unless a defibrillator is used immediately. The occurrence of heart attacks and other similar health-related incidents, due to high blood pressure may not be a surprise given the increasing age of seafarers as essentially, common onshore âmiddle-ageâ health problems are being taken to sea. According to the British Heart Foundation, the single most influential factor in improving survival is treatment with a life-saving defibrillation shock from an AED. Conditions for defibrillation are optimal for only a few minutes after the onset of VF and the best way of ensuring prompt defibrillation is having an AED nearby:
Using an AED is easy and can cause no harm; the Resuscitation Council (UK) states â âAn AED [defibrillator] can be used safely and effectively without previous trainingâ (RCUK Guidelines, 2010). AEDs are compact, portable, effective, require little maintenance and can be stored for long periods.
The national defibrillator database which was rolled out by the NHS clearly shows that the more people who know about defibrillators and how to use them, undoubtedly increases the number of saved lived. Last year an average of 460 people a day died due to heart and circulatory problems, this equates to 170,000 people a year.
This project will place 20 AED devices in ports and seafarersâ centres, and run a healthy lifestyle campaign to raise awareness of heart disease. The project is funded by the MNWB as is important as it can save lives.
Norfolk outreach project providing health checks for fishers
The Society collaborated with The Fishermenâs Mission and Norfolk Public Health to provide health checks and advice to fishermen at quayside locations in Norfolk. The project offered an example for other coastal areas with fishing communities to potentially follow. Almost a third of fishers who took part were referred to their GP for further investigations of cardiovascular disease risk, raised blood pressure or cholesterol levels, with many referrals also to the local Health Trainer service for support with lifestyle issues such as smoking, drinking or weight control.
Healthy eating for fishers
The Society collaborated with The Fishermenâs Mission, Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Norfolk NHS, to pilot a project at a number of ports promoting safety, health and wellbeing. This included a particular focus on healthy eating, with a view to encouraging fishers to eat more healthily.
Female seafarers’ health and welfare
In a joint initiative with the International Maritime Health Association, International Seafarersâ Welfare and Assistance Network and the International Transport Workers Federation, this project looked at the health and welfare needs of female seafarers, and how organisations can best improve the information and services available to them.
Better health for older seafarers
This collaborative project involved a health adviser focusing specifically on the health needs of former seafarers throughout the Merseyside area, and included the mapping of local health services in partnership with the then local Primary Care Trusts. Lessons from this project were incorporated into case worker training and circulated to local care providers.
Admiral Specialist Dementia Nurse, Wallasey
In collaboration with the Nautilus Welfare Fund, Seafarers Hospital Society funds a specialist dementia nurse based at Marinersâ Park in Wallasey. The nurse provides dedicated support to residents with dementia needs, as well as to those who live in the community. This assistance is also offered to occupational and family carers.
Fitness programmes for older seafarers
A six-month pilot fitness programme was delivered by the Physical Initiative at Care Ashoreâs Springbok Estate, resulting in encouraging improvements in the heart health, strength and total body water levels of those taking part. As a result the Society subsequently partnered with Age UK to deliver the âFit as a Fiddleâ programme at a number of seafarersâ residences, and Care Ashore itself has adopted a developing fitness, health and wellbeing programme.
Bridlington fishing community Health Trainer
Sponsored by the Society, NHS Humber had a part-time Health Trainer working directly with fishers and their families in Bridlington and the surrounding area. This was a free service providing one-to-one advice and support on a range of health issues including smoking cessation, healthy eating and alcohol reduction.