EMAHSN collaborated with the National Centre for Rural Health and Care in December 2018 to hold an Innovation Exchange to address some of the challenges that rurality presents to the delivery of both health and social care.

Engage and consult

Prior to the Innovation Exchange Conference, in June 2018 we held a workshop with colleagues from across the region to clarify and identify the challenges which provided a foundation for the proposals and discussions for the conference.

These challenges highlighted the opportunity to develop digital and technology based solutions in the following areas:

• Support for people with multiple and complex needs to live independently in their own homes for longer in remote settings whilst underpinning their well-being
• Support for people in rural and remote settings who find it challenging to travel to a service centre to receive the health and care support they require, particularly if they have conditions which require frequent travel: oncology, dialysis etc.
• Support for people suffering from loneliness in rural areas to address the challenges to their health and well-being including the option of remote “solutions”
• Support for professionals delivering health and care services for people in rural settings

The workshops provided an informal platform for representatives from the NHS, Social Care providers and Commissioners, academia, citizens, third sector and the commercial sector to review current service models and clinical pathways, transformation plans and innovations, and work together to identify sustainable digital and technology based solutions.

Explore challenges and identify solutions  

The Rural Health Innovation Exchange event saw more than 260 delegates, including 40 innovators, come together to discuss key themes in rural health and care.

For any questions/queries on the rural health innovation exchange please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.