Men encouraged to roll up to the health check van at Town Green

Blokes are being encouraged to make sure their health is in check as the Rotary Men's Health Education Rural Van (MHERV) rolls into town.

The van is parked at Town Green throughout Saturday and will be offering free health screening services including blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.

MHERV is an initiative of the Rotary Club of Warners Bay in collaboration with local Rotary clubs and community groups.

The purpose-built van is staffed by nurse Bill Power and his wife Debbie.

John Drinan, from the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise, said the van offers an "important service".

"The van provides a service to encourage men who won't go to the doctor to come and get a quick health check," he said.

"We usually get around 100 people coming to get the health checks and we know that it has been a lifesaver for some people."

Mr Drinan said the van hasn't been able to visit the area over the past couple of years because of Covid.

The Powers have been travelling up and down the coast recently as the service becomes operational again.

"We've seen around 110 rotary clubs now that we're back on the road again," Mrs Power said.

"People are able to talk to Bill about medications or mental health as well, or any questions you might have because it is hard to get into doctors at the moment."

Mr Power started seeing patients on Friday, with a steady stream of people visiting throughout the morning.

The consultation takes about 10 minutes and provides immediate results, helping to improve health outcomes for men, with women also encouraged to take up the free service as well.

"We do encourage all people to come down and get a check. It doesn't cost anything and you don't have to make an appointment," Mrs Power said.

Mr Power submits a daily report to the program management team at Rotary Club of Warners Bay from which statistics are gathered. Over the last four years the results have averaged approximately four per cent of people have required urgent attention, around 40 per cent are advised to follow up on something with their GP in the next week and 56 per cent are encouraged to keep up the good work.

Over the past four years the van has seen nearly 11,000 people.

The van will be stationed at Town Green on Saturday, November 12 from 9.30am to 3.30pm. It will then travel to Laurieton on Monday before moving further south.

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