Latest News
10 Nov 2026
An Appointment Is Only Useful If You Can Get There: CMO Report Puts Rural Access In Focus
A hospital appointment can mean a day’s round trip for someone living in rural England. If they cannot drive, or the appointment does not fit the bus timetable, accessing care...
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10 Nov 2026
£40 Million GP Programme Aims To Keep Vulnerable Patients Well This Winter
Extra support from GP teams could help vulnerable patients avoid hospital this winter, with important implications for rural communities where accessing care can involve long journeys. The government and NHS...
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10 Nov 2026
Rural Poverty Needs Joined-Up Solutions
Tackling rural poverty means looking beyond household income to how transport, housing, energy and public services work together, a new report suggests. Published by the University of Glasgow’s Centre for...
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10 Nov 2026
New Visitor Levy Powers Proposed To Support Local Tourism
The Visitor Levy Bill, introduced in Parliament on 4 November, would give mayors and strategic authority leaders the option to introduce a charge on overnight accommodation. Money raised would remain...
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10 Nov 2026
NHS Reforms: Keeping Local Needs In Focus
The NHS bodies that plan and fund local health services are cutting staff and reorganising. A new National Audit Office (NAO) report asks whether they will retain the expertise needed...
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04 Nov 2026
RSN Welcomes Chief Medical Officer’s Report On Rural Health
The Rural Services Network welcomes the Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2026, which examines health in rural areas and small towns, and was pleased to have the opportunity to contribute....
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03 Nov 2026
Budget Promises Growth In Every Postcode, But Will It Reach Rural Communities?
The Budget offers opportunities for rural homes, businesses and services. The next test is whether funding and delivery reflect the realities of rural life. The Government’s promise of “good growth...
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03 Nov 2026
Rural Opportunities Hidden By Council-Level Figures
Employment disadvantages in smaller rural and coastal communities can be hidden by wider council-level figures, according to new research from the Social Mobility Commission. State of the Nation 2026: Who’s...
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03 Nov 2026
Rural Health Inequalities Hidden Behind Picture Of Affluence
Poor transport, financial pressures and difficulties accessing services are affecting health and wellbeing in rural Oxfordshire, a new report has found. The research challenges assumptions that rural prosperity benefits everyone,...
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03 Nov 2026
New Affordable Homes Help Secure The Future Of Rural Essex Village
The Princess Royal, Patron of English Rural, visited the development at Narley Field Road recently. She met residents and toured both a rented and a shared ownership home. The scheme...
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