Knowsley Council and Knowsley NHS Primary Care Trust has launched an initiative aimed at improving the health of the borough’s male taxi and private hire drivers.
The Council has a copy of the “Haynes Owners Manual for Knowsley Man” available for every taxi driver in the borough to mark Men’s Health Week, which runs until June 15.
Haynes Manual: A guide to the Knowsley Man gives readers advice on a range of issues including male cancers; heart disease; weight problems and blood pressure. They also receive advice on how to get the problems “repaired”.
The manual, based on the famous car maintenance manuals, is being used as part of Knowsley’s Working Well Programme; a joint initiative between the Council and Primary Care Trust.
Cllr Ken Keith, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate and Customer Services said: “We are targeting male taxi drivers with this initiative because we recognise there are a number of factors about their work which could contribute to poor health.
“We want to do all that we can to improve the health and lifestyle of people working in the borough through Working Well and, realising that men are often unwilling to visit their GPs for routine health checks, we are handing out this manual to try to educate them more about men’s health issues.”
Diana Forrest, Director of Public Health for Knowsley said: “This manual is written in a style which we hope will attract local men, and help them to understand the health issues which affect them.”
All taxi and private hire drivers in the borough have already been offered a health check to assess blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and the opportunity to access quit smoking services and discounted exercise programmes.
Pictured is Cllr Ken Keith, Knowsley Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate and Customer Services (right) with Billy Ellery, chairman of the Knowsley Hackney Carriage Badge Holders Association and a driver for All Black Cabs.
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