We are incredibly proud that our client, Sandra Welch, CEO of Seafarers Hospital Society, and their SeaFit programme were featured on BBC National Radio and BBC One Breakfast TV.
The BBC didn’t just report from a studio—Jim Reed, BBC Health Reporter, Elena Bailey, Producer, and the team travelled to Brixham to witness firsthand how this innovative clinic operates, speaking directly with the fishermen it serves, the dedicated doctors, and medical staff who make it happen. Together with the BBC report from Brixham, Sandra Welch was interviewed live on BBC One Breakfast News on 8th August 2025.
The SeaFit programme, which is a joint initiative between the Seafarers Hospital Society and The Fishermen’s Mission, represents a new model of healthcare delivery, bringing medical services directly to commercial fishermen and women who do not follow a nine-to-five working day and find it difficult to access their local NHS services. By meeting people where they are, rather than expecting them to fit into traditional healthcare frameworks, SeaFit is removing barriers that have historically kept this vital workforce from accessing essential health services.
The impact is profound—early identification of health conditions through SeaFit has literally saved fishermen’s lives. This isn’t just about convenience; it’s about catching serious health issues before they become critical, transforming outcomes for an industry where accessing traditional healthcare has always been challenging.
What made this coverage particularly significant was how SeaFit serves as an exemplary model that fits with the NHS 10-year plan’s vision. The programme embodies the plan’s core principles: shifting from reactive to preventive care, reducing health inequalities by reaching underserved communities, and delivering care closer to where people live and work. SeaFit demonstrates how innovative service delivery can address the NHS’s strategic priorities—prevention, personalisation, and reducing geographic barriers to care—while delivering measurable health outcomes for vulnerable populations.