SRMC Programme Manager to speak at SCVO’s ‘The Gathering’ in Glasgow, 19th February

Delegates from the third sector, voluntary and community health organisations throughout Scotland are to be given an insight into the issues surrounding the recruitment and retention of rural healthcare workers.

The Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative’s (SRMC) Martine Scott will give a talk on the subject at a workshop to be hosted in the SEC Glasgow by Voluntary Health Scotland.

The event, to be held on 19^th February, will give Martine the opportunity to address delegates on the SRMC-backed initiative ‘Rediscover the Joy’ (see other blogs on this site), and will take the upbeat theme of ‘What happens when we work together?’

The workshop has as its catchline ‘Getting primary care right for rural communities: The rural challenges and opportunities’ – something that’s at the heart of the SRMC’s work and vision.

Martine said: “As our name suggests, collaborative working is key to what we do and I’m looking forward to showing delegates that only by working together are we able to address the long-standing problems of recruitment and retention in rural general practice.”

Among the issues the workshop will consider is what primary care will look like for the next generation in rural Scotland.

Questions to be considered include how general practice and primary care can be put at the heart of the healthcare system in rural Scotland, and how people who need care in rural communities are more informed and empowered, have access to the right person at the right time, and can remain living at home where possible.

Other speakers will be Dr Sarah Anne- Munoz, of the University of the Highlands and Islands, whose talk will be on community-based research in rural health and wellbeing; Dan Shaw, chief executive of Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action, who will talk about health and social care partnership working; and Ailsa Villegas, of NHS Highland, whose subject will be the Highland Green Health Partnership.

The workshop is a collaboration between Voluntary Health Scotland at the Scottish Rural Health Partnership. It will form part of The Gathering 2020, Scotland’s largest event for charities, social enterprises and voluntary bodies.

The Gathering, a free event being held on 19^th and 20^th February, is expected to attract around 3,000 visitors and, as will feature seminars, training opportunities, workshops and more than 110 exhibitors.

The ‘Shaping Primary Care’ workshop will be held in the Boisdale Suite 1 at the SEC from 11.45am-12.34pm.