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UK Parliament

Access to health services and the role of the church in rural areas examined

18 December 2018

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The House of Lords Select Committee on the Rural Economy examine access to health and social care services and the role of religious institutions in rural areas.

Witnesses

Tuesday 18 December in Committee Room 1, Palace of Westminster

At 9.45am

  • Nigel Edwards, Chief Executive, Nuffield Trust
  • Billy Palmer, Senior Fellow in Health Policy, Nuffield Trust
  • Professor Richard Parish CBE, Executive Chair, National Centre for Rural Health and Care
  • Dr Rashmi Shukla, Director, Midlands & East of England, Public Health England

At 10.45am

  • Revd Elizabeth Clark, National Rural Officer for the Methodist and United Reformed Churches
  • Canon Dr Jill Hopkinson, Consultant to the Mission and Public Affairs Division of the Archbishops' Council, Church of England
  • Revd Claire Maxim, CEO, Germinate: The Arthur Rank Centre

Possible questions

  • What challenges do rural areas pose for the delivery of health and social care services, and how does health and wellbeing impact the rural economy?
  • What are the main challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining staff to work in health and social care in rural areas?
  • What are the opportunities arising from new technology for delivering health and social care services in rural areas?
  • The Committee has heard that problems with the mental health system are creating a burden on rural police forces who are increasingly being called on to drive mental health patients to hospitals. What kind of interventions are needed to alleviate this kind of pressure on the police?
  • What are the main barriers to overcoming loneliness and social isolation in rural areas?
  • How would you define the role of the church in rural communities today?
  • What role does the church play, in its pastoral role and more broadly, in tackling issues such as deprivation and social isolation in rural areas?
  •  Is there a role for rural churches to play a more active role in supporting rural business growth?

Further information

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