Date: 15th November 2021
Subject: Rural Social Care and Health
Chair: Graham Biggs MBE, Chief Executive, Rural Services Network
Hosted: Online Event via Zoom

- To download the agenda and papers associated for this meeting, click here

- To download a copy of the RSN's 'Social Care in a Rural Context' presentation click here

- To download a copy of Lauren Giddins (Community Council Somerset) and Rhys Davies (Somerset County Council) presentation on Semerset Micro-providers click here

- To download a copy of the learning outcomes click here

Learning Outcomes

Examples of Good Practice

• The State of Care in County and Rural Areas a joint report published by the Rural Service Network and County Councils Network in September 2021, highlighting the challenges faced by rural areas.
• Rural Proofing for Health Toolkit produced by Rural England CIC and the National Centre for Rural Health and Care in December 2020, providing a framework to develop health strategies to meet the needs of rural communities.
• Somerset Micro-Providers a short video produced by Somerset County Council about bespoke independent care.
• Community Directory detailing over 900 care providers in the Somerset area.
• Free Support for Carers and Carers Rights Day produced by Community Council for Somerset.
• Revitalising Rural Campaign led by the Rural Services Network highlighting a number of key policy areas and Government asks. Relevant campaign elements for the Health and Care Sub-Group include:
• Access to Rural Health and Care Services
• Managing an Older Rural Population

Key Learning Points

• Key issues facing rural councils in delivering care services include:
  • Resource, rural areas receive significantly lower levels of funding from Government than urban areas.
  • Workforce, recruitment and retention of staff in rural areas is more challenging due to lack of affordable housing, travel costs, etc.
  • Demography, rural areas have a higher concentration of older people compared to urban, which places a higher burden on rural local authorities to deliver care services.
  • Self-funders, there are higher levels of people funding their own care in rural areas, making them more sensitive to funding reform.
  • Care Homes, there are greater numbers of care homes in rural areas compared to metropolitan areas, many of these care homes however service the needs of non-rural residents.
  • Sparsity, there are geographical challenges in providing care in large and remote rural areas due to the time and costs involved in delivering care over long distances.
• Benefits of the micro-providers care model:
  • Flexible care delivered by passionate local people for local people.
  • Provides a quality assured framework, and confidence to individuals to set up as professional carers (micro-providers).
  • Delivers person centred support that those cared for and their families value, including light domestic work, social interaction as well as care.
  • Supports people to stay in their own homes, makes hospital discharge less daunting and supports community resilience.
  • Reduces travel times to deliver service so care is not rushed and is kinder to the planet.

Any other key points discussed

• Living Memories provide several free as well as paid for archive films on their website which can be used to help reduce the isolation of older people, particularly in rural areas.
• Cumbria Social Care Announcement shared by Eden District Council during the meeting.

Attendance and Apologies

Attendance

Apologies