WHATELY — On the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, Whately residents will be able to stop by the Town Hall and get medical referrals from the town’s public health nurse.
At Wednesday’s Selectboard meeting, Foothills Health District Public Health Nurse Michael Archbald announced he will begin hosting office hours at Whately Town Hall. Residents can talk about health concerns or issues and he can guide them toward health care providers.
Archbald will be available, with no appointment necessary, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
Archbald said he wanted to bring the program to Whately after seeing how successful similar programs have been in other towns around the Pioneer Valley. The Foothills Health District shares health services between Goshen, Westhampton, Williamsburg and Whately.
“It’s been something that I thought would be nice to offer,” Archbald told the Selectboard. “I think that’s going to be an important resource for the four communities.”
The services are funded through a Public Health Excellence grant, an inter-municipal grant offered by the state that pools towns’ resources together.
Archbald said he will be offering “very minor nursing duties,” such as blood pressure and temperature checks, but residents are welcome to speak to him about any medical concerns so he can refer them to other professionals.
“Just working with anybody who wishes to come in and discuss chronic or acute medical conditions,” Archbald said. “Any health-related issues.”
After seeing the success of Deerfield’s program, Archbald said he is looking forward to helping residents in Whately.
“I’ve got 21 years of home-care experience,” Archbaold said. “I’m happy to be a resource.”