Rural wellbeing and health - making it work in Wales

 At the beginning of October, as part of a whole week of events hosted by the Prince’s Charities in Wales, we held a very special day of brainstorming.

Working with the National Osteoporosis Society (NOS) and the Institute of Rural Health we brought together 28 different organisations from health, education and public service with politicians and senior civil servants. This was a great opportunity to showcase the Foundation’s ground breaking work with secondary schools in Cornwall.

We also learned about ‘Bones 4 Life’ the innovative NOS work with primary school children on healthy bones (osteoporosis usually surfaces as an issue in older people, but bones are alive and need looking after – they are at their best in your mid twenties – it’s downhill all the way after that!).

Both projects emphasise how health and well being really must start with our youngest people by combining health and education.   

In Ceredigion older people suffering fractures benefit from a unique Integrated Osteoporosis Service, a strategy for bone health that encompasses primary, secondary and social care across a large rural community, provides risk assessment, advice on future care and preventative measures for fractures. This is the NHS norm for most medical conditions, but not for fractures, which can have such devastating consequences in older and fragile people, not just in terms of their health, but of their well being, independence and quality of life.

Woods for health

Developing the theme of health and well being, the Forestry Commission in Wales described their ‘People and Woodlands’ programme and the campaign for ‘greener healthcare’.

Would GPs prescribe walks in the countryside instead of / as well as exercise in the local gym? Examples of the benefits for mental health and well being of working outside in ‘green space’ and learning woodland skills included Ecodysgu, the winner of the Foundation’s 2008 Wales award for integrated healthcare.

The whole approach fits perfectly into the Welsh Assembly Government’s new rural health strategy ‘Rural Health is Everybody’s Business’.

Not surprisingly, the key emerging issues from the day reflected the need for a broader understanding of  ‘Integrated Health’, the importance of localisation and a long term approach when planning and developing services.

What people said

Some bite sized stories from the front line of rural health:

'Not everything needs money’

‘The local GP had to do a home visit just to push 2 paracetamol tablets out of the blister pack because the care worker was not allowed to ‘ 

‘When the care worker came in, she got my neighbour up and dressed, did a bit of hoovering and washing up, did a bit of shopping for her but when she became too frail for social care and nursing took over, no more non-clinical support – Disaster for her! ‘

‘The Forestry Commission is not just about looking after our trees ......’

‘Health needs to be in all education and there needs to be education in all health’

More information on the participants

The Princes Charities

Accounting for Sustainability

Sustainability at Work

National Osteoporosis Society

Bones for Life project

Welsh Assembly government rural health strategy

Forestry commission Wales

Health Challenge Valleys