Community Pot Project: Village Agents - WERN
The West of England Rural Network (WERN) is a charity working with rural communities in South Gloucestershire, Bath & North East Somerset, North Somerset & Bristol.
They support and work with communities, businesses, social enterprises, organisations and individuals on a wide range of topics that impact on rural areas. They work with local authorities, other statutory services, the new West of England Combined Authority and central Government departments to influence policy and to ensure that the impact on rural communities are always considered.
Project focus
The focus of the project will be on on how living in rural isolation impacts on access to health and care services.
Some of the issues faced by those living in rural areas are:
- poor or non-existent transport links and high cost of getting to medical appointments,
- social isolation and loneliness and lack of awareness of the range of services available,
- people who are fearful of unwanted interventions, not engaged with medics or have declined GP and community services,
- difficulties for patients with multiple health conditions, multiple specialist and multiple journeys to different locations,
- care provision and inequalities for patients in rural area including surcharges for rural postcodes,
- cross border issues – Chew Valley residents border Bristol, Mendip and North Somerset. It is therefore not uncommon for medical solutions to be delivered across the borders, which carries with it more issues of communication and poor outcomes and
- the overall impact for people of all ages – rural isolation hits every age group.
What has happened since?
WERN have finished their project and the findings have been analysed and put into a final report.
