ONE of the largest dealers in the UK of agricultural machinery, Lloyd Ltd Carlisle, is keeping local GPs on the move with a new 21-plate New Holland T5.105 tractor.

The tractor delivered to Castlegate & Derwent Surgery & Pharmacy at Cockermouth, was to replace the previous model which they have been using to tow Lloyd Ltd’s hospitality unit to provide Outreach Health Services around the local area.

This innovative approach to getting Health and Wellbeing support out to more rural communities was incredibly successful at the start of the pandemic as it enabled the practice to give over 3,000 flu jabs across the area and Drive-Through Flu Services. It also meant that GPs themselves, could get out to more isolated patients when the snow hit.

Such was the success of this approach that Rachel Edwards, Castlegate’s Prescribing Support Lead & Pharmacy Hybrid Manager, applied for further funding and this has recently been approved . “Having this new funding for our outreach activities means that we can now offer even more community support, from mental health-related activities to the next round of flu jabs. Lloyd Ltd have provided us with a fantastic solution to the challenge of rural medicine, an outreach to new communities, our agricultural sector.”

Mark Dixon, Dealer Principal for Lloyd Ltd Carlisle, added: “With the new 21-plate coming out and the increased workload planned by the Castlegate team, now seemed the right time to replace their current machine. To have this partnership with one of our local GP surgeries to support the rural community is really special and we are proud to be able to work with them.”