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English councils have called on the government to provide a £5bn "income guarantee" to prevent local authorities from having to cut services as the coronavirus hits finances The County Councils Network has warned councils could lose £2.4bn as income...
Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, addressed the nation on Sunday 10th May, outlining the next stages in fighting the covid-19 virus The ‘conditional plan’ included outline details of how we could reopen parts of society from Wednesday. The Government...
by Kerry Booth - Rural Services Network Assistant Chief Executive Who could have foreseen when I wrote the last Health and Social Care Spotlight (February 2020) the situation we would now find ourselves in? ...
The below article written by RSN Chairman Cecilia Motley is featured in this months Local Government First . The response to coronavirus needs to consider the different issues facing rural areas – from poorer digital connectivity to...
This newsletter on rural health is provided for the RSN and the Rural Health and Care Alliance It includes a roundup of rural health news, research, learning and best practice. If you have any information you wish to share with other...
The Evening Standard published a study which has predicted significantly higher levels of COVID-19 fatalities in rural locations due to larger ageing populations The analysis found that death rates could be up to 80 per cent higher if the...
Several news outlets including the BBC, Yorkshire Post and Sky, report on calls from rural groups against recent advice to police forces that it is lawful to drive somewhere to exercise, including a trip to the countryside The groups...
The Rural Services Network has written to The Rt Hon. Matthew Hancock (Secretary of State for Health and Social Care) along with other key rural organisations to open discussions regarding the Covid-19 exit strategy and the implications for rural communities....
The health publication HSJ reports that the coronavirus outbreak is currently a highly regionalised feature in the UK This means that hospitals in more remote areas, often with older populations more susceptible to serious illness, are more at risk...
Sky News reports on research published by Oxford University's Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science that warns of potential ‘hospital deserts’ - areas where demand for beds for coronavirus patients is likely to outstrip supply as the illness spreads Currently,...
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Amid reduced public spending, fair resource allocation across regions is crucial. Despite a population larger than Greater London, rural areas receive significantly less funding for essential services, even though delivering these services in rural areas is more expensive.
Economic growth is widely acknowledged as essential for national wealth and prosperity and is a priority for political parties. Rural economies, employing millions and home to a higher proportion of small businesses, have potential for growth if barriers are removed.
Rural residents face distinct healthcare challenges, including limited access to transport, longer distances to medical facilities, an aging demographic, housing inadequacies, digital connectivity gaps, and difficulties recruiting health and care workers.
Rural communities are grappling with a severe affordable housing crisis, marked by high house prices, a lack of affordable housing, elevated living costs, and lower incomes, threatening their sustainability and vitality.
Transport is vital for the quality of life and economic health of rural areas, yet it faces challenges such as infrequent public bus services and less Government funding compared to urban regions.
Rural areas, encompassing a substantial portion of England's population and land, play a pivotal role in combating climate change and achieving the net zero target.
In an increasingly digital world, the lack of robust digital infrastructure in rural areas severely limits access to crucial services and stifles economic growth.
A future-focused vision for rural communities involves not just building the right homes in the right places but also ensuring thriving, sustainable communities.
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