Rural Access to Health and Care Services

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 recruitment hurdles for healthcare workers.

Hot Topics

24 Apr 2023

Minister for Homelessness meeting

Last week, the Rural Services Network was delighted to be invited to a roundtable discussion with the Minister for Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Felicity Buchan MP following the release of...

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17 Apr 2023

Rural heart attack patients wait 50pc longer for ambulances

The Telegraph reports that there is a ‘Heartbreaking’ rural-urban divide which means some patients face lengthy waits of up to 1 hour 40 minutes for category two calls Heart attack...

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17 Apr 2023

New Air Quality Strategy announced

The Government have announced a new Air Quality Strategy which will provide a framework to support local action to improve air quality They are seeking views on a revised Air Quality...

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17 Apr 2023

Time set for UK Emergency Alerts test

The Government has announced a National test of Emergency Alerts will take place at 3pm on Sunday 23 April Message will be received on 4G and 5G mobile phones, along...

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04 Apr 2023

Breaking News: Government halves social care workforce funding

The Government has announced today (Tues 4th April) that funding to develop the social care workforce is now at £250 Million This is half the amount published in Dec 2021...

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20 Mar 2023

Chronic increase of ‘hidden’ homelessness in the countryside fuelled by cost-of-living crisis, ground-breaking report shows

A year-long study exposes a surge in rural rough sleeping since the pandemic has been worsened by the cost-of-living crisis According to analysis of official statistics, rough sleeping in rural...

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13 Mar 2023

New £200m fund for UK walking and cycling routes

Devon Live reports that Selaine Saxby, the MP for North Devon, has welcomed a £200 million fund to improve walking and cycling across the UK Schools, high streets and main...

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06 Mar 2023

Mental health hubs being set up in rural England to combat high rates of farmer suicide

The Express reports that nine in ten farmers rank poor mental health as their biggest concern, with experts calling for more focus amid high suicide rates To help tackle the...

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06 Mar 2023

Remote and Rural Medicine Conference Announced

Changing Outcomes, Changing Practice Remote and Rural Medicine Conference, 7/8 June 2023, Penrith An exciting line up of speakers has been announced for this year’s remote and rural medicine conference including: Simon...

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27 Feb 2023

Rural Health Debate in House of Lords

On 23rd February 2023, the House of Lords considered the topic of Healthcare in Rural Areas as part of a short debate Proposed by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering, the full...

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