Scotland: National Rural Network
Connecting Rural Scotland - Promoting Rural Growth

The Commission for Rural Communities is collaborating with the Department of Health (DH), the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to present a one-day conference on the health and wellbeing of rural communities. The conference is aimed at senior councillors and officers in local government, NHS executives and board members, and colleagues from the third sector. It will explore problems associated with living in dispersed rural communities, and the difficulties of service provision in rural areas. It will also challenge the perception that rural living is inherently healthier. The event will be chaired by BBC journalist, John Craven (Countryfile). Topics and case studies to be covered will include: meeting the challenge of an ageing rural population; access to services in a rural context; improving rural health and wellbeing; the public expenditure challenge for rural health services; and, social determinants of health. More... (http://www.ruralcommunities.gov.uk/events/healthyruralcommunitiesanationalconference ).