National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care: Information Hub

Background: What and Why

In 2023, The Centre and Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) developed a collaborative agreement to take forward several key programmes of activity to strengthen joint working, to support and promote a model of delivery that will improve community population health, and sustainability of services within rural primary/community care settings.  An advisory board was established, and meets quarterly for members including:

 The Centre:

• The Centre Director
• Head of Programme x 2

 SAS:

• Regional Director
• Strategic Planning Manager
• Area Service Manager
• Advanced Nurse Practitioner
• Clinical Governance Manager

The Centre has facilitated two partnership meetings with SAS this year to strengthen joint working, share transferable resources and knowledge exchange on: education programmes, technology tools, research & innovation, and changes in SAS service delivery. A key focus has also been SAS education needs and recruitment and retention approaches within community based rural contexts.  A workshop took place on 23 July 2024, to explore these topics and discuss the evolving role of SAS now providing primary care services, to support the sustainability of healthcare within rural communities. 

Description: Who and How

As SAS’s remit has required to broaden and provide care delivery at home, within primary care practices/clinics, the Centre has offered to provide funding support for three SAS Paramedics to undertake Rural Advanced Practice (RAP) MSc programme to a minimum of P.G. Diploma (year 2 exit).  Although learners will have the opportunity to complete an MSc in RAP (year 3 exit) if they choose to do so. This funding opportunity will increase capacity and capability within the RAP/SAS workforce and will subsequently help to support a more sustainable/innovative model to improving population health and reduce health inequalities in rural primary care services.

Expected outcome:  When and What Difference

Further quarterly meetings are arranged between the Centre and SAS to capture ongoing education/training needs and further develop recruitment and retention models that build on an ASSET- Based approach. The outcomes from the planned workshop and ongoing engagement with SAS will continue to be further explored. The Centre will continue to action plan its support for SAS, which will have a clear focus on increasing the skillset of the SAS primary care rural workforce, strengthening resilience, and ensuring communities living within rural contexts, have equitable access to address their healthcare needs.