A different “Other Stuff” this month. We are appealing for your help in thinking about how to best revive the findings of the Parliamentary Inquiry now we have a new team, post mourning, in place and ready for action at Westminster. As a reminder the recommendations are:
Our twelve recommendations for change
Build understanding of the distinctive health and care needs of rural areas
Recommendation 1: Define/redefine rurality as it impacts health outcomes
Recommendation 2: Identify and measure drivers of health inequalities at a greater level of granularity (1000 head of population should be a denominator)
Recommendation 3: Include specific rural content in every first degree in medicine, nursing and social care. Mandate rural work experience in every general practice course, every geriatrician course, every nursing course and all core health care training
Deliver services that are suited to the specific needs of rural places
Recommendation 4: Core health and care pathways for cancer, heart disease, stroke, mental health and all emergency care must be urgently reviewed to better meet the rural need Recommendation 5: Rural health proof” housing and planning, transport and environment policy
Recommendation 6: Develop a rural technology health and care strategy and platform
Develop a structural and regulatory framework that fosters rural adaptation and innovation
Recommendation 7: Enable and empower local placed based flexibility in the ICS structure
Recommendation 8: With the Royal Colleges and Health Education England/NHSE/I, review the match between the existing health and care professional structures and the skill needs of today to meet health and care demands with a view to creating a wider variety/diversity of health and care professionals with shorter training courses
Recommendation 9: Hard-wire generalist skills training across the medical professions, in both core and update CPD training
Develop integrated services that provide holistic, person-centred care
Recommendation 10: Fund research into the nature, connectedness and integrated treatment of complex co-morbidities across primary, secondary health and social care
Recommendation 11: Integrate health and social care budget setting in rural areas as a test pilot of the Health and Care Bills ambition and measure combined health and care outcomes against that budget
Recommendation 12: Empower the community and voluntary sector to own prevention and wellbeing
We would really welcome any thoughts you might have about how we can best bring the key issues here to the most influential audiences. We have a team currently deployed around this agenda but don’t have a monopoly of wisdom so please let us have your views….
I would also like to draw your attention to some new seminars available to RHCA members for free in a series called “Rural Natters” which you can attend over lunch! More information here
Coastal Communities: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/411904767247
Land and Environment: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/411911547527
Food and Farming: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/411883293017