Joint working to support remote and rural communities

Joint working to support remote and rural communities

The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care (The Centre) has established a collaborative working agreement with Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). It will take forward several key programmes of activity to strengthen joint working, support community population health, and the sustainability of services within remote, rural and island settings. 

This year the Centre has facilitated two partnership meetings with SAS’s National Remote & Rural Advisory Group and a workshop to share transferable resources and exchange knowledge on:  

• education programmes 
• technology tools, research and innovation 
• changes in SAS service delivery

As SAS’s remit has expanded to provide care within patient’s homes, primary care practices and clinics, the Centre has offered to fund three SAS Paramedics to undertake the Rural Advanced Practice (RAP) MSc programme with the University of the Highlands and Islands.

This funding opportunity will increase RAP/SAS workforce capacity and capability. Eventually it will help support a more sustainable model to improve population health and contribute to reducing health inequalities in rural communities.  

The Centre and SAS have arranged further engagement meetings. These will capture ongoing education/training needs and further develop recruitment and retention models that build on an Asset-based approach. 

Outcomes from future engagement meetings will continue to be explored, and the Centre will plan ongoing support for SAS. There will be a strong focus on increasing the skillset of the SAS Primary Care workforce, strengthening resilience, and ensuring communities living in rural contexts, have equitable access to services that address their healthcare needs. 

---