Mental health video call app offers support to farmers

Farmers struggling with depression, stress and other mental health problems can get the help they need with a new smartphone app that puts them in touch with trained professionals the same day.

The app, called Dr Julian, links people in need of help with qualified and fully vetted mental health therapists by video call on their smartphone or tablet at a time that suits them, making it quicker and easier than booking a GP appointment.

Trainee GP Julian Nesbitt came up with the idea while working at an A&E department near Cirencester. His aim was to break down the barriers of access to the support that people need.

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“Farmers were partly my inspiration for this app, because I saw farmers coming into A&E who had tried to kill themselves and really needed help,” he says.

“I saw a massive need for this as GPs are not trained to deal with mental health properly and are under massive pressure to see people in 10-minute slots.”

The Dr Julian app enables people to take a free mental health assessment and then connect with one of more than 100 health professionals who specialise in all areas of mental health, including addiction, anxiety, grief and relationships.

It also means people like farmers, who are working long days and live in isolated areas, can book a confidential appointment with a therapist at a time that is convenient for them in the comfort of familiar surroundings, making it easier for those who find it hard to be away from home.

Appointments cost from £45 for a one-hour session and the app can be downloaded through the App Store on iPhone and iPad.

For more information, visit the Dr Julian website and stay up to date by following the app on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.