The research undertaken by IRH to support the development of the Rural Health Plan in Wales has now been published and accompanies the publication of the consultation document "Rural Health Planning - Improving service delivery across Wales".
Download the executive summary and report from our recent publications page.
Internationally there has been an interest in under-graduate medical education in rural areas for several decades prompted by challenges in recruiting and retaining rural doctors. In the UK initiatives to provide rural exposure during under-graduate training are relatively new.
The aim of this study has been to explore the potential opportunities and barriers to developing a rural element to the new under-graduate medical curriculum at Keele.
The IRH has spent a year studying what impact the natural environment - everything from allotments, urban parks, woodland and lakes to the countryside, mountains, rivers and sea - has on health and wellbeing. The research show that the natural environment can play a key role in improving public health and wellbeing.
This report is premised on the increasing demand for undergraduate medical placements in rural areas, increasing student numbers and the evidence of the importance of rural exposure during undergraduate training on recruitment and retention of rural GPs. The survey took place over six months.