Health

Health and Wellbeing events for boaters on nb Litania

Wednesday, November 1st, 2023

Julian House Travelling Communities  Support Service will be visiting Bradford Lock on 7th November 2023 and Caen Hill Marina on 14th November 2023 with nb Litania at 11am to 4.30pm. They will be providing Covid 19 and Flu vaccinations to boaters who are in the eligible groups: age 65 and over and other people who are eligible due to specific health conditions etc. There will also be support and information on welfare; other health matters, and free Boat Fire Safety packs and first aid kits.

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Public Health Wiltshire Boaters’ Survey – respond by 27th October

Tuesday, October 17th, 2023

Public Health Wiltshire is running a boaters’ survey to find out about the health and other needs of liveaboard boaters who live or travel in Wiltshire. The purpose of the survey is to determine what boaters’needs are and how they can be met. The more boaters who complete the survey, the more evidence there is for extending or setting up services such as Julian House Travelling Communities Support into Wiltshire and the K&A canal.

You can complete the survey online here

https://surveys.wiltshire.gov.uk/s/boaters

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Healthwatch advice sessions to help boaters get access to healthcare

Wednesday, July 19th, 2023

Healthwatch Wiltshire is to run two advice sessions to help boaters get access to the healthcare they need. These will be on Friday 21st July 12pm to 4pm at the Canal Tavern, Bradford on Avon (below lock 14), and Saturday 29th July 12pm to 4pm at the Barge Inn, Honey Street. Come along if you need any advice registering yourself or your child with a GP, getting hospital treatment, and other issues.

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Litania warm space this winter, first Thursday of the month

Tuesday, January 10th, 2023

Once again, nb Litania will be out on the water between Bath and Bradford on Avon with the Julian House Travelling Communities Support Service. The Boaters’ Cafe Club on Litania will provide a warm space on the first Thursday of every month, with free hot soup, tea and coffee and support from Julian House and Canal Ministries. Their next outing will be on 9th February. They may also provide this at other times.

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Psychotherapy and Mental Health Skills Coaching Service for boat dwellers launched

Sunday, May 29th, 2022

A Psychotherapy and Mental Health Skills Coaching Service for itinerant liveaboard boaters has been launched, supported by the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) and funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. It aims to help liveaboard boaters to access the mental health support that they need. For contact details and more information, click here

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FFT need volunteers to mystery shop GP surgeries

Tuesday, December 14th, 2021

Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) need volunteers to help with a mass mystery shop of GP surgeries in England. In recent years, FFT has exposed that GP surgeries routinely broke NHS guidelines by refusing to register a nomadic, Romany or Traveller patient, both before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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If you’re over 70 and have not been invited for a Covid-19 jab, contact NHS now!

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021

By mid-February 2021 the Government aimed to have all over-70s and people classed as clinically extremely vulnerable given their first of two vaccinations against Covid-19, but told people they should wait to be invited for their appointment. Now, the NHS wants anyone over 70 or clinically extremely vulnerable who has not had their first jab to contact them to get vaccinated.

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Coronavirus vaccinations – make sure of your jab by registering with a GP

Monday, January 25th, 2021

The invitations to attend Coronavirus vaccination appointments for priority groups, which will include everyone over the age of 50, are being generated from the patient records held by doctors’ surgeries. Liveaboard boaters who are not registered with a GP may find that they are not contacted by the NHS with an invitation to have the Covid-19 vaccination.

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First ever nationwide liveaboard boater health survey

Monday, October 14th, 2019

Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) are carrying out a health survey of liveaboard boaters as part of their campaign to end discrimination in health services. This is the first nationwide health survey of the liveaboard boating community.

You can complete the survey online here https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VKWCVHY

Or you can get a paper copy from Sam Worrall, FFT, Community Base, 113 Queens Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 3XG. Tel 01273 234777 or 07425 419869 or see www.gypsy-traveller.org

Boaters encouraged to complete NHS Long Term Plan survey by 30th April

Sunday, April 21st, 2019

Liveaboard boaters are being encouraged to complete an NHS survey in order to alert GPs, hospitals and clinics to the barriers that we face gaining access to the health services all citizens are entitled to.

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