North East fishers offered medical help on harbourside

The Well Up North Primary Care Network is holding surgeries in Amble harbour every two months

Medical and dental checks for commercial fishers in the North East are moving harbourside to help those who struggle to make appointments.

Many crews say it is impossible to book a GP or dentist consultation while at sea and they cannot afford a day off.

The SeaFit programme will also offer advice and care on drug and alcohol problems for people employed in the fishing industry.

It will run one afternoon every other month in Amble and Hartlepool.

The charities behind the project aim to ensure workers can still access health services, despite their unpredictable working hours.

The Seafarer's Hospital Society and the Fisherman's Mission say help is needed for the industry which the Mission rates as one of the UK's most dangerous.

Prawn fisherman Brian Douglas has struggled to get medical appointments owing to the hours he works

Northumberland fisherman Brian Douglas had been out at sea several times a week for the past 40 years.

He says the random hours of commercial fishing make it hard to book and keep appointments.

The 56-year-old, who operates a prawn trawler, said: "Bigger boats can't really afford to lose a crew member and take a day off. They've got to have a full crew at sea or they have to stay ashore.

"If you need medical attention, you can't just ring up. Sometimes you're out of phone range and other times they just can't fit you in when you want."

To help those like Brian, a collection of GPs services in Northumberland - known as the Well Up North Primary Care Network - are moving their surgeries into the harbour commissioner's office for one afternoon every two months.

It is located just feet away from where Brian lands his catch.

Derry Nugent, project co-ordinator for Healthwatch Northumberland said: "It's about listening to people who would not otherwise see themselves as having an issue with accessing services.

"Initiatives like this show fishermen services like this are for them so they can just turn up to and get help."

It is a timely intervention because anyone working on a UK fishing vessel must have secured a certificate of medical fitness by the end of November.

A doctor-approved record that proves a worker is fit enough to work safely at sea is required by international law.

The service will run throughout the year.