New 'seafarer-friendly' GP Network aims to boost access to healthcare for maritime professionals

Thousands of seafarers and their families are set to benefit from improved healthcare support thanks to a new partnership launched by the Seafarers Hospital Society (SHS) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). 

Backed by £32,200 in funding from Trinity House, the initiative aims to help GPs better understand the unique health challenges faced by people working at sea, improving access to care, patient safety and continuity of treatment. 

The programme will see SHS and RCGP develop a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-accredited educational resources for primary care teams. These will include eLearning modules, a GP-led podcast series, practical guidance and a targeted awareness campaign designed to reach an estimated 44,000 GPs across the UK. 

For many seafarers, long periods away from home, irregular work patterns and frequent travel can make accessing healthcare difficult. The new resources will help GPs recognise these challenges and provide more tailored support for seafarers and their families. 

A key feature of the initiative is the creation of a network of seafarer-friendly GP practices. Participating surgeries will be encouraged to correctly identify and code seafarers in patient records, appoint a clinical lead for maritime health, understand the occupational risks associated with life at sea and make better use of specialist referral pathways where needed. 

The programme is designed to deliver measurable improvements in healthcare equity and patient safety by ensuring primary care teams are better equipped to respond to the needs of maritime communities. 

SHS said the partnership represents an important step towards improving health outcomes for seafarers nationwide and ensuring the realities of life at sea are better understood within the UK healthcare system.