Mens Shed, student paramedics team up to give farmers a free health check at the Henty Machine Field Day

The men's health program delivered by the Australian Mens Shed Association at the Henty Machinery Field Days, asking farmers a big question: when did they have their last health check.

Stuart Torrance, the organisation's men's health project officer, recalled how some of the farmers had not seen a doctor in 10 to 15 years - and that they only visit when they're injured or sick.

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"We're trying to teach them that going to the doctor once a year whether they need it or not is preventative medicine," Mr Torrance said.

The organisation partnered with Charles Sturt University, whose paramedic students have joined the Mens Shed team at the field days.

"It's been absolutely fantastic. I think the very first year we did like 120 health checks over three days," Mr Torrance said.

"We're now in year four and we've already hit over almost 500 health checks."

Phil Bruce is a farmer and an engineer based in Hawkesbury took the opportunity while down for Henty to make an appointment for a health check.

He thinks it's great to see the Australian Men's Shed Association and the simple experience of a health test has had a great impact on him reminding him to check on his own body.

"It reminded me that I should when I get back to my local area and local GP to go in and have a chat about some other tests," Mr Bruce said.

"It's good that people are talking about it because being on your own can trouble some people."

The organisation now has 1300 sheds across Australia with 2500 sheds across the world since its founding in 2007.

Natalie Ellis, a clinical educator with CSU's Three Rivers program, said the partnership has been extremely beneficial to the 15 student paramedics involved.

Ms Ellis said how many of the students couldn't recommend it enough to their colleagues for the rewarding experience of helping individuals and the unique environment.

"I love seeing the students grow and learn, the confidence they're getting from repetitively doing these health checks and just seeing their faces when they've gone 'that was really challenging conversation, but I think I helped someone'," she said.

Despite the success, there was cultural stigma in reaching out with the current stoic culture of masculinity leading men to ignore and bottling emotions up is a key barrier.

"I think one of the major barriers is the stalwart attitude of Australian men: they're hard, they carry on," Mr Torrance said.

"'I've got a pain in my gut. I'll work it out. I'll see if it still happens on Saturday,' and they wait too late, and that's usually when things go wrong."

Mr Torrance recalled the last few years have been particularly stressful for farmers with the 2019 bushfire season, COVID-19 and the recent floods and have had huge mental health impacts on them.

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