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.

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02 Feb 2023

Research shows patients want more control over how their health data are shared

Recent research finds that patients support the use of patient data in health research but do not like the idea that some companies may make money from the use of...

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03 Jan 2023

Levelling down – Public services in rural areas are not fit for purpose

The RSN Chief Executive, Graham Biggs MBE, has written an article which was featured in the Fabian Policy Report. A copy of this article is provided below. No-one should Be disadvantaged...

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12 Dec 2022

Adult Social Care Committee challenges government to urgent reforms in adult social care

The Adult Social Care Committee has published its report, A “Gloriously ordinary life”: Spotlight on adult social care, on 8th December 2022 The full report can be accessed at this...

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05 Dec 2022

Ambulance waiting times in England three times longer in some rural areas

The Guardian reports how a disparity between rural and urban areas has been uncovered by Lib Dem FoI requests to 10 ambulance trusts Patients in some rural areas wait almost...

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29 Nov 2022

The RSN warns of the ‘perfect storm’ faced by rural communities and businesses

The RSN has provided a briefing to Rural MP’s of the different impact to rural communities and businesses compared to other areas of England from the Nov 2022 Autumn Statement...

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14 Nov 2022

Bus and adult care services face cuts, English councils warn

Councils across England have warned that they are likely to start cutting everyday services from next year as their finances are squeezed, with some fearing they could be facing bankruptcy...

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26 Oct 2022

The Patients Association’s Patient Partnership Week

At the Patients Association we’re championing patient partnership because we believe when patients work with the health and care system, outcomes for patients are better. Over the next three years,...

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10 Oct 2022

Councils call for delay to flagship social care reforms, warning services face a ‘perfect storm’ of financial and workforce pressures over the next 12 months

With a year to go until the introduction of flagship reforms in adult social care, England’s largest councils call for a delay – warning that the system is under so...

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03 Oct 2022

NHS “dental deserts” persist in rural and deprived communities – LGA analysis

The LGA, which represents over 350 councils in England and Wales, is calling on the Government to address shortages in NHS dentists urgently or risk more people requiring costly emergency...

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