Health and Wellbeing
Policy Position Paper
ACRE believes that to improve health outcomes people need and deserve high quality healthcare services appropriate to their needs. Rural solutions to healthcare delivery should be developed to suit the rural context making full use of local facilities, outreach delivery and improved transport. view here |
ACRE believes that people need and deserve care near to where they live. As such developing transport and mobile healthcare solutions are vital to improving health outcomes for communities.
ACRE supports the highlighting and dissemination of good practice in the delivery of effective healthcare models in rural areas. We want investment in solutions bring doctors and patients closer together when there may be a long geographical distance including mobile services and tele-medicine. Read more in our policy position paper
Examples of the work of RCAN members in Health & Wellbeing
- Cornwall Rural Community Council has a mental health project working to support, promote and protect the rights of people with mental health problems through a number of initiatives. Mental Health Project
Other Links
Institute of Rural Health
The Institute of Rural Health (IRH) is a UK-wide academic charity, established in 1997, working to inform, develop and promote the health and wellbeing of rural people and their communities. In December 2009 the IRH published its Rural Health Manifesto
The Manifesto covers four main areas that impact on rural health and wellbeing: Equality of health and social care provision; The patients perspective; Public health, health promotion and wellbeing; A healthy environment; Community capacity
Factsheet: Mind - Rural issues in mental health
This factsheet is aimed at people who live or work in rural areas and anyone who provides health or social care services in England or Wales. It addresses issues relating to mental health that are specific to or more common in, the countryside. The factsheet also covers issues that may be found in towns and cities but carry different implications for rural areas and may require different solutions.
Rural Stress Helpline is on call to help rural communities
The Rural Stress Helpline has been launched to offer a totally confidential and non-judgmental listening service to rural communities. Visit website
The King's Fund
The King's Fund is an independent charitable foundation working for better health. Their goals are to help develop: informed policy, by undertaking original research and providing objective analysis; effective services, by fostering innovation and helping put ideas into action; and skilled people, by building understanding, capacity and leadership. Website
Local accountability has been a significant policy issue within the NHS generally. However, primary care trusts are in the main accountable to the centre and there have been calls to review this. This paper discusses a range of options for reforming the relationships between PCTs and their public. It explores the question of whether better services and more legitimate decisions will result from better engagement with local people or whether local accountability is an end in itself. |
