The use of acupuncture, hypnosis, homeopathy, herbalism and propolis in dental treatment together with the role of the Golden Proportion is cosmetic work will be explored at the 11th Annual Rural Dental Conference this summer.
Organised by the Welsh Rural Postgraduate Unit under the auspices of the Institute of Rural Health, the conference, themed 'Open mouth, Open mind', will be held at the magnificent setting of Gregynog Hall, near Newtown, Mid Wales on Friday, June 25.
"As health care professionals our training is designed to make us analytic and critical of unfamiliar techniques," said Charles Vaughan Jones, post-graduate dental tutor for Rural Wales.
"This can have the effect of making us dogmatic and even entrenched. While observing a healthy prudence it is important that we are receptive to unfamiliar techniques, otherwise no progress would ever be made.
"This year's conference will focus on respected professional colleagues who have added to their repertoire of dental treatment adjuncts and are prepared to share these with delegates.
"We need to know at least as much as our patients about these modalities, even if after consideration we decided they are not for us, in order to help them to make informed decisions."
Speakers at the conference will include Tom Thayer, senior clinical teacher and consultant in oral surgery at the University of Liverpool, who will discuss the role of acupuncture in dentistry.
Dental surgeon Philip Wander will cover the uses of homeopathy, herbalism and propolis in dentistry, Val Walters, co-director of the Hypnosis Unit UK at University College London, will discuss hypnosis in dentistry and dental surgeon Dominic Hassall will explore the fundamentals of smile design.
Other speakers include Jonathan Cowpe, director of postgraduate dental education in Wales and Mick Horton, clinical audit and peer review tutor for North Wales.
Also attending the conference to meet delegates will be Rob Shaw, Associate Dean for North Wales, Elaine Simmons, the British Association of Dental Nurses' Welsh Regional co-ordinator, Kirstie Moons, associate director for Dental Care Professionals postgraduate education in Wales, Mike Lightowlers, Dental Technicians tutor for Wales and Jackie McKay, of Primary Care Support Services.
The conference, which is open to all members of the dental team, will include a choice of lecture aimed specifically at dental nurses and practice managers.
"An important part of the conference is the opportunity to catch up with high profile members of the profession who attend for that very purpose," explained Dr Vaughan Jones. "It is also a perfect opportunity for people to network and enjoy social contact with their peers."
For more information or to book a place at the conference, contact Heidi Evans.
Delegates attending the annual Rural Doctors Conference in Mid Wales expressed concerns about the rising level of bureaucracy invading general practice.
The successful three-day conference at Gregynog Hall, near Newtown attracted 150 delegates from across Wales, the English border counties and as far away as Cumbria.
Reflecting on the mood of the conference, Dr Huw Evans, one of the organisers from the Montgomeryshire Medical Society, said: "There is ongoing concern about the bureaucratic incursions into general practice that are pervading all areas of our work.
"We have seen massive increases in management services in the health service rather than clinical staff and there is great dissatisfaction amongst doctors with the current situation.
"Most doctors feel they are working longer hours, seeing more patients and incorporating an increasing list of primary care services with relatively little acknowledgement."
He said GPs were looking forward to the General Election, when all parties would reveal their future health policies.
Dr Evans, a Llanfyllin GP, said the conference had achieved its main aim of providing an opportunity for rural health practitioners to network and share ideas.
The conference opened with a discussion on the main political issues affecting general practice, the threat to rural dispensing practices and the new revalidation requirements for doctors. Speakers were Matlock GP Dr Peter Holden, General Practitioners Committee Negotiator and Dr Malcolm Ward, GP and Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners' Rural Group.
The afternoon session moved on to Neurology, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Strokes. Contributors were Professor Amanda Kirby from The Discovery Centre at the University of Wales Newport and Jane Price, Parkinson's Disease Specialist Nurse for Powys Teaching Local Health Board and Dr Phil Jones, Consultant Physician and Geriatrician at Bronglais General Hospital.
Thursday morning's session focused on Mental Health and Risk Assessment. Chris Murphy, Consultant Psychiatrist for North Shropshire and Head of the West Midlands School of Psychiatry, spoke on assessing depression and risk of suicide and Dawn Crowther, from North Shropshire Mental Health Team, gave an update on the Mental Health Act and deprivation of liberty safeguards.
Dr Rob Dennis, Consultant Psychiatrist at Stafford and Wendy Ball of the South Staffs and Shropshire Eating Disorders Service, talked about eating disorders in primary care.
Dr Evans said: "During a discussion on anorexia and bulimia, great anxiety was expressed about the influence of glossy magazines and the media overplaying healthy eating, which, in some vulnerable young people, might trigger or aggravate an eating disorder.
"Healthy eating is now being promoted from the age of six in schools. The thermostat has been set to size zero and, whilst most people would sensibly ignore that, there is feeling that it might be an important factor for a vulnerable group of young people."
The afternoon session focused on death certification and the ethics of assisted suicide. Speakers were Dr Cleone Rooney from the Department of Health, Dr Paddy Glackin, a London GP, former British Medical Association Ethics Committee Deputy Chair and ex-General Practitioner Committee member and Dr Simon Nightingale, Consultant Neurologist at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals.
Dr Evans said the general opinion of delegates was that there was no need to change the existing laws on assisted suicide. However, new guidelines for England and Wales on assisted suicide law, recently published by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, were welcomed.
"Doctors are open enough about the subject to debate it but the overall feeling was that we should focus on caring for patients and promoting the increasingly high standards of palliative care that exist in Britain for terminally ill patients," he added.
Dr Evans said the reform of the death certification process was of particular interest to GPs in Powys, where a pilot project is underway. "The reform includes a requirement that two doctors must complete the certificate on the medical cause of death in every case," he explained.
"We in Powys are involved in a pilot project to assess the practicalities of this reform. In rural areas, it is going to present difficulties if there is a delay in the death certification process and we are trying to iron out the problems before the rules are changed."
Ophthalmology took centre stage on Friday morning with contributions from Mr Bruce K. McLeod, Consultant in Ophthalmology at Sussex Eye Hospital, who spoke about the basics of eyes and sight, treatments and new developments, while Dr Mark Thompson, a Rhayader GP, spoke about the health impact of climate change.
The conference closed with an afternoon session on the management of shoulder injuries, led by Mr Stuart Hay, Consultant in Orthopaedics at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Gobowen.
The Prince of Wales has sent a message of support and endorsed the aims of this year's Rural Health Week - September 27 to October 3.
The theme chosen by the Institute of Rural Health (IRH), which organises the week, is 'Reaching Out: Enabling access to services for the vulnerable and hard to reach in rural areas'.
Rural Health Week is designed to bring together people at all levels, from individuals and voluntary organisations to health professionals and local government workers, to celebrate the successes as well as to raise awareness of the challenges involved in delivering health and care services to dispersed rural communities.
"For more than 25 years, I have been striving to raise awareness of the value and efficacy of a more holistic, integrated approach to healthcare," said The Prince of Wales in his message.
"That is why, 15 years ago, I established my Foundation for Integrated Health with what I believed then - and still do - was a fairly simple objective: namely, to create a more holistic, safe and truly integrated system of healthcare, one which brings together and draws upon the best of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing.
"I happen to believe that good health does not exist in isolation, but forms as a direct consequence of our communities, our cultures, our lifestyles and the way we interact with our environment.
"It seems to me, therefore, that addressing the needs of people living in rural communities calls for just such an holistic approach, one which takes account of the patient's physical, emotional and mental wellbeing and of their social and environmental surroundings.
"I am, therefore, delighted that the Institute of Rural Health, together with my Foundation, is working to raise awareness and stimulate discussion around the delivery of public services in the context of a patient-centred, whole person approach, one which respects interaction of mind, body and spirit."
The Prince's Charities in Wales are hosting a series of high level seminars during Rural Health Week based at The Prince of Wales's home at Llwynywermod, near Llandovery.
One of these seminars, on Friday, October 2, is being organised by The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health and National Osteoporosis Society in conjunction with the IRH.
Titled 'Sustainable, Rural Wellbeing and Health - An Integrated Agenda for Everyone', the seminar will focus on health and wellbeing, aiming to stimulate debate around delivering sustainable, integrated public services.
Other messages of support for Rural Health Week have been received from Forestry Commission chairman Lord Clark of Windermere, Welsh health and social services minister Edwina Hart, Welsh rural affairs minister Elin Jones, Countryside Council for Wales chairman John Lloyd Jones, Campaign to Protect Rural England chief executive Shaun Spiers, Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon, Farmers' Union of Wales president Gareth Vaughan, NFU president Peter Kendall, botanist, ecologist, author and broadcaster Professor David Bellamy, ITV weathergirl and presenter Sian Lloyd and the British Medical Association's head of science and ethics Dr Vivienne Nathanson.
All messages of support together with events and activities are posted on the IRG website www.irh.ac.uk. All examples of good practice and innovative services that emerge during the week will be shared on the www.ruralhealthgoodpractice.org.uk online database.
Formed 12 years ago, the IRH is a UK-wide academic charity, working to inform, develop and promote the health and wellbeing of rural people and their communities. Its three main academic programme areas are research and projects contributing to the evidence base, education and training, and policy analysis, including rural proofing.
The Prince's Charities in Wales is hosting a series of high level seminars during Rural Health Week (September 27 to October 3), based at the home of The Prince of Wales at Llwynywermod, near Llandovery.
One of the seminars, on Friday, October 2, is being organised by The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health and National Osteoporosis Society in conjunction with the Institute for Rural Health (IRH).
Titled 'Sustainable, Rural Wellbeing and Health - An Integrated Agenda for Everyone', the seminar will focus on health and wellbeing, aiming to stimulate debate around delivering sustainable, integrated public services.
Organised by the IRH, Rural Health Week is designed to raise the profile of rural health issues locally, regionally and nationally. This year's theme, 'Reaching Out: Enabling access to services for the vulnerable and hard to reach in rural areas', has encouraged groups across the UK to get involved by organising events and activities.
In Mid Wales, the Rural Doctors' Conference at Gregynog Hall, Tregynon, near Newtown is being held from September 30 to October 2. Organised by Montgomeryshire Medical Society in partnership with the IRH, the conference attracts quality speakers and is attended by rural GPs and their primary care colleagues.
Rural Health Week will also see the IRH launch its new five-year research strategy to ensure that rural health and well-being issues remain high on policy and service delivery agendas across the four nations of the UK.
The IRH'sresearch priorities up until 2013 will be unveiled at a conference, 'Developing Agendas for Rural Health, Research, Police and Practice', to be held at the West Midlands Government Office in Birmingham on September 29.
NHS County Durham is running a series of events during the week. Mobile health checks for farmers will be offered at two of the region's biggest agricultural livestock markets and healthy cookery courses will be provided for a range of rural residents, including children and young people, older people, mental health service users and carers.
The NHS County Durham campaign aims to bring health service providers and a range of voluntary and community sector organisations together to provide a greater presence in rural areas.
At Kendal Town Hall, ballroom and sequence dancing is planned for September 30 from 1pm to 4.30pm by the Healthy Homes Action Group. Information and advice will also be provided about grants and energy saving measures to help people save money and keep warm this winter.
Devon County Council's Rural Access to Health Task Group is holding a consultation on access to healthcare services in rural parts of the county. The group has begun an in-depth investigation into how living in a rural area impacts on residents' abilities to access healthcare services and how this can be improved.
Jane Randall-Smith, IRH chief executive, said she was pleased to receive news of events taking place across the UK to celebrate Rural Health Week.
"To make Rural Health Week a success, we need people to get involved," she said.
"This year's theme is focused on creating different ways to make services more accessible for people who are often at risk of missing out," she said.
"The theme is intended to be all encompassing and we are looking for examples of innovation across the UK that address these needs."
The week is designed to bring together people at all levels, from individuals and voluntary organisations to health professionals and local government workers, to celebrate the successes as well as to raise awareness of the challenges involved in delivering health and care services to dispersed rural communities.
Events and activities are being promoted on the IRH website www.irh.ac.uk and all examples of good practice and innovative services that emerge during the week will be shared on the www.ruralhealthgoodpractice.org.uk online database.
Formed 12 years ago, the IRH is a UK-wide academic charity, working to inform, develop and promote the health and wellbeing of rural people and their communities. Its three main academic programme areas are research and projects contributing to the evidence base, education and training, and policy analysis, including rural proofing.
Experts from the Institute of Rural Health have revealed their research priorities for the next five years as they bid to keep rural health issues high up the political agenda across the UK.
The IRH, which is based at Gregynog Hall, near Newtown in Mid Wales, has identified three cross-cutting themes for research up until 2013: the ageing rural population, poverty and deprivation and community and sustainability.
Against these cross-cutting theme, the research will focus on access to services, chronic disease and long term conditions, health and the sustainable environment and rural medical, health and social care education.
"Our aim is to ensure that rural health and well-being issues remain high on the policy and service delivery agendas," explained Dr Jenny Deaville, the IRH's research manager.
"In the last decade the IRH has conducted a wide range of research on rural health and wellbeing and been a lead partner or collaborator on more than 40 projects. More than £1 million in research grants has been secured during this period.
"The research aims to develop a greater understanding of the impact of rurality on the health of individuals and communities and the provision of services, with a particular focus on identifying and tackling inequality."
The IRH draws on skills and experience from disciplines including geography, medicine, nursing and social sciences when undertaking research.
The research strategy says the issue of access to services and the implications for health outcomes is a key issue for rural communities. "It raises a large number of questions around the best ways of improving access for rural residents either through bringing services nearer to individuals or facilitating easier access to services at a distance," it adds.
"It is also important to examine the impact of barriers to access on health outcomes. Another dimension to this research area will also be exploring how different approaches to delivering health services to rural communities impact on the carbon footprint."
The strategy identifies that there will be an increasing number of people in the growing rural ageing population requiring multiple health and social care services for long term and chronic conditions.
Research into the best ways of providing services and supporting people in their own communities is important to inform service provision, education and training," says the IRH.
The strategy will examines how the environments that people live in impact on their health and wellbeing. It will also consider how the natural environment can be used as a health promoting resource.
The IRH underlines the importance of research to underpin its education work to promote a good understanding amongst medical, health and social care students and professionals about the needs of rural populations.
Future research will also examine workforce development, including mapping the skills and competencies required to deliver health and social care services in rural areas.
The IRH launched its new research strategy at a conference, 'Developing Agendas for Rural Health, Research, Police and Practice', in Birmingham today (September 29) during Rural Health Week.
Formed 12 years ago, the IRH is an academic charity, working to inform, develop and promote the health and wellbeing of rural people and their communities. Its three main academic programme areas are research and projects contributing to the evidence base, education and training and policy analysis, including rural proofing.
The topical and controversial subject of assisted suicide will be discussed at this year's 20th Rural Doctors Conference for GPs and other health care professionals.
Guidelines for England and Wales on assisted suicide law were published by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, today (Wednesday) to clarify the situation.
The guidelines follow a legal battle won by Debbie Purdy, who has multiple sclerosis. The Law Lord ruled that she had a right to know whether her husband Omar Puente would be prosecuted if he helped her to travel abroad to commit suicide.
Mr Starmer has stressed that assisted suicide remains an offence as the law is unchanged, but the guidelines clarify when individuals are more likely or more unlikely to be prosecuted.
'Dignity in Dying' will be the topic addressed by Dr Paddy Glackin, a London GP, former British Medical Association Ethics Committee deputy chair and ex-General Practitioner Committee member, at the Conference.
He will speak during the afternoon session titled 'Death certification and the ethics of assisted suicide' on the second day of the conference (October 1) at Gregynog Hall, near Newtown.
The other speaker at the session will be Dr Simon Nightingale, consultant neurologist at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals, who is also a member of the Shropshire Humanist Group.
In February, a newspaper survey of 460 GPs across the UK found that two fifths wished to see euthanasia legalised. The charity Dignity in Dying has called for a national debate on euthanasia, sparked by a sharp rise in the number of patients travelling to Switzerland for assisted suicides.
The BMA does not support any change in the laws surrounding euthanasia, but Dr Glackin has previously said: "Given that there are so many doctors and so many people throughout society who believe that this option should be open to patients, I do not believe that the blanket ban should remain.
"I think the time has come where we should discuss the circumstances in which assisting suicide might be acceptable and what safeguards must be in place to protect the vulnerable."
Dr Cleone Rooney, from the Improving the Process of Death Certification Programme of the Department of Health, will also talk during the afternoon about the reform of the death certification process post-Shipman programme.
Held from September 30 to October 2, this popular annual conference for rural doctors and other healthcare professionals is organised by the Montgomeryshire Medical Society (MMS) in partnership with the Institute of Rural Health (IRH).
For bookings or more information about the conference please contact Ann Whale, MMS co-ordinator, on 01686 650800 or annw@irh.ac.uk.
A varied and challenging programme of talks and workshops for primary healthcare professionals has been organised to celebrate this year's 20th Rural Doctors Conference in Mid Wales.
Held from September 30 to October 2 at Gregynog Hall, near Newtown, this popular annual conference has evolved and developed to meet the educational needs of rural doctors and their healthcare colleagues.
Organised by Montgomeryshire Medical Society (MMS) in partnership with the Institute of Rural Health (IRH) during Rural Health Week, the three-day postgraduate programme of lectures, workshops and networking attracts delegates from across the UK.
"The programme is designed to be as varied and challenging as possible and, during the past few years, we have welcomed other healthcare professionals, including practice managers and nurses, physiotherapists and nurses working in the community," said MMS chairman Dr Martin Green.
"This has led to the development of a practice managers day on Wednesday and a practice nurse day on Thursday, with both professions joining the main conference for the morning session each day and then attending their own professional session during the afternoon."
Employment law will be the topic for practice managers on Wednesday, while practice nurses will discuss travel health on Thursday. Delegates are being invited to take along a GP, practice manager or nurse colleague for the day to receive a 20 per cent discount.
The conference opens on September 30 with updates from Matlock GP Dr Peter Holden, General Practitioners Committee negotiator and Dr Malcolm Ward, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners' Rural Group.
The afternoon session then moves on to Neurology, Parkinson's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Contributors include Professor Amanda Kirby from The Discovery Centre at the University of Wales Newport and Jane Price, Parkinson's Disease specialist nurse for Powys Teaching Local Health Board.
Thursday morning's session will be on Mental Health and Risk Assessment. Chris Murphy, consultant psychiatrist for North Shropshire and head of the West Midlands School of Psychiatry, will speak on assessing depression and risk of suicide, Dawn Crowther, from North Shropshire Mental Health Team, will give an update on the Mental Health Act and deprivation of liberty safeguards and Dr Rob Dennis, consultant psychiatrist at Stafford with members of the South Staffs and Shropshire Eating Distress Service, will talk about eating disorders in primary care.
The afternoon session focuses on death certification and the ethics of assisted suicide. Speakers are Dr Cleone Rooney from the Department of Health, Dr Paddy Glackin, a London GP, former British Medical Association Ethics Committee deputy chair and ex-General Practitioner Committee member and Dr Simon Nightingale, consultant neurologist at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals.
Ophthalmology takes centre stage on Friday morning with contributions from Mr Bruce K. McLeod, consultant in ophthalmology at Sussex Eye Hospital, who will speak about the basics of eyes and sight, treatments and new developments, while Dr Mark Thompson, a Rhayader GP, will speak about the health impact of climate change.
The conference closes with an afternoon session, which physiotherapists are welcome to attend, on the management of shoulder injuries, led by Mr Stuart Hay, consultant in orthopaedics at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Gobowen.
More information about the conference is available from Ann Whale, MMS co-ordinator, on 01686 650800 or annw@rural-health.ac.uk.
A five-year research strategy to ensure that rural health and well-being issues remain high on policy and service delivery agendas across the four nations of the UK is to be launched during this year's Rural Health Week (September 27 to October 3).
The Institute of Rural Health (IRH) is to unveil its research priorities up until 2013 at a conference, 'Developing Agendas for Rural Health, Research, Police and Practice', to be held at the West Midlands Government Office in Birmingham on September 29.
The conference aims to engage delegates in setting rural health research agendas and to develop potential collaborations for projects and an informal rural health research network.
Included on the invitation list are academics, health and social care professionals, local and central government officers and representatives from agencies with an interest in rural health.
Speakers will include Helen Howson from the Welsh Assembly Government, Rowena Clayton from West Midlands Public Health, Linda Syson Nibbs from Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust and Dr Jenny Deaville, IRH research manager.
Workshops will be held on access to services, chronic disease and long term conditions, health and the sustainable environment and rural medical, health and social care education.
In the last decade the IRH has conducted a wide range of research on rural health and wellbeing and been a lead partner or collaborator on more than 40 projects.
IRH research aims to develop a greater understanding of the impact of rurality on the health of individuals and communities and the provision of services, with a particular focus on identifying and tackling inequality.
Based at Gregynog Hall, near Newtown and formed 12 years ago, the IRH is an academic charity, working to inform, develop and promote the health and wellbeing of rural people and their communities. Its three main academic programme areas are research and projects contributing to the evidence base, education and training and policy analysis, including rural proofing.