The IRH’s new Senior Research Officer, Fiona Williams, will be joining us shortly. Fiona has been a researcher with the Land Economy Research Group (Rural Society Team) at SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) for the past 12 years. Her work has focussed on the impact upon rural communities of changes in farming and farming households, and in particular the characteristics and implications of new entrants to farming, the changing nature of farm succession, and related land use issues (such as patterns of land sale and transfer). Her PhD, submitted in June, investigates these succession processes in Scottish family farming and considers the future for the ‘family farm’. Recently she has also been involved with the development of Care Farming Scotland (CFS), an umbrella organisation that seeks to facilitate and promote the concept of care farming in Scotland.
Fiona’s first priorities at IRH will be to complete the work on the End of Life project and the GP health and employment project (see below under Research for more details); and to develop IRH research capacity by working in partnership to submit proposals for research which build on the IRH Research Strategy.
This seminar aimed to engage in setting rural health research agendas, to develop potential collaborations for projects and developing an informal rural health research network and to launch the IRH research strategy.
The IRH has published its Manifesto for rural health and well being, which identifies the priority issues that need to be addressed. The Manifesto covers four main areas that impact on rural health and wellbeing: Equality of health and social care provision; The patients perspective; Public health, health promotion and wellbeing; A healthy environment; Community capacity.
The IRH Annual Review 2008-2009 is now available and provides highlights of the year, including the future activities of the IRH for 2009-10.
During Rural Health Week 2009 the new IRH Research Strategy was launched. The Research Advisory Group has highlighted three cross cutting themes (the aging rural community, poverty and deprivation, community sustainability) which underpin the four identified foci for research during the next five years.
We would like to expand the number of freelance Research Associates currently working with the IRH.
We are interested in hearing from you if you are an independent experienced researcher in the field of health, social care, rural geography or other discipline related to rural health and wellbeing and you are able to undertake small to medium size research projects at short notice.
For an informal discussion or more information please contact Dr Jenny Deaville, Research Manager at IRH on 01686 650800.
The Institute of Rural Health is offering a secondment opportunity for a suitably qualified person working in NHS or Central or Regional or local government. The role of Policy Officer is a key post for the IRH and candidates will need to have an interest and experience in rural health and wellbeing and knowledge of policy development, service planning and implementation. The post is full time and is on the understanding that the seconding organisation will be responsible for the salary and IRH will carry the overhead costs. The post is based at the Institute's headquarters at Gregynog, near Newtown, Powys.
Further details and an application pack (no CVs please) are available from the Institute of Rural Health, Gregynog, Newtown, Powys SY16 3PW; telephone 01686 650800 or email us.
A consultation document, "Rural Health Planning - Improving Service Delivery across Wales", was published on 1st May 2009 by Welsh Assembly Government. The deadline for consultation responses is 21st August 2009. Evidence to support the consultation document is also published on the Assembly site.
Download the executive summary and report from our recent publications page.