Supporting offshore workers’ families

In previous blog posts, we’ve told you about our occupational health service, led by Dr Marikie Benade, and our Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) medicals – but that’s not all we do to help offshore workers.

As we’ve put more and more offshore workers through their medical at our OGUK-approved clinic, we’ve realised that they’re often more interested in how we can help support their partners and families while they’re working – often thousands of miles away on an oil rig.

Typically, offshore workers spend two or more weeks offshore, where they’ll work 14 consecutive shifts of 12 hours each. During this time, it can be difficult for them to keep in touch with their families – or to make sure they’re safe and well.

That’s why as well as offering offshore medicals, and providing additional information about general health matters to employers and employees, we’re also on hand to support offshore workers’ families.

GP and children’s health services in Edinburgh

We provide a wide range of GP services at YourGP, including a comprehensive range of vaccinations, tests, assessments and specialist treatments.

And as we’re part of the Sameday Doctor™ network, we offer short notice appointments same day or within 24 hours, as well as longer opening hours, seven days a week.

One of our services that are most attractive to offshore workers is our specific children’s clinic, led by experienced children’s specialist GP, Dr Jo McCrone.

Our children’s clinic offers baby jabs, development checks, and immunisations and vaccines, and unlike other GPs across Scotland, we take children’s blood tests in our clinic, which can be done at the weekend, including Sundays.

This is particularly convenient for busy and working parents and partners of offshore workers, as is the fact that results are generally back within just 48 hours.

Supporting offshore workers’ relationships

Offshore workers can spend weeks working away from home to provide for their families – and these long periods of separation can often adversely affect relationships.

Indeed, previous research has found that wives of offshore workers suffered ‘intermittent husband syndrome’ – because they missed out on major milestones in their wives’ and children’s lives and their return upset the smooth running of their families.

Of course, many relationships, whether on or off shore, go through periods of stress or crisis. And although some say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, the inability to talk to each other often makes the problem worse or feel beyond solving.

In these situations, relationship counselling can provide a way forward.

Our counsellor, Carol-Ann Chapman-Gibb, provides relationship counselling, while Dr Lyndsey Myskow, one of the founders of YourGP, has helped many people turn their relationships around through sex therapy counselling.

Our approach to relationship counselling offers the following benefits:

• A relaxed, fully confidential, environment
• Short-notice appointments at a time to suit you
• A friendly and non-judgemental atmosphere in which to resolve problems
• Appointments as a couple and/or individually

If you work offshore and want to make sure your family are protected while you’re away from home, call us on 0131 225 5656, email our reception team at reception@your.gp, or pop into our clinic in Dean Village in the heart of Edinburgh’s west end.

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