RCGP NI’s Working Rurally in Northern Ireland Conference returns for a second year

On Thursday 5 March, the Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland (RCGP NI) welcomed GPs, secondary care doctors, educators and patient representatives to its Working Rurally in Northern Ireland Conference: Challenges and Opportunities.

Held in Fermanagh House, Enniskillen, the event is dedicated to exploring the realities of delivering and sustaining high quality healthcare in rural communities. It brought together experts from across disciplines to examine workforce needs, patient experiences and referral pathways in rural practice.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt delivered a keynote address, acknowledging the essential role of rural medical professionals and emphasising the importance of healthcare delivery within rural communities across Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the conference, the Health Minister highlighted the importance of accessible health and social care services for rural communities.

Minister Nesbitt said: "This is the beginning of a time of real transformation for General Practice. GPs face immediate pressures and an increase in demand for their services, and this is balanced with ensuring patients have the opportunity for diagnosis, treatment and health care locally.

"We must also look to the future and consider how we can harness clinical excellence, technological and digital advancement, as well as collaborative ways of working to provide safe, high-quality care for patients. I recently spoke at an event where GPs and others from the primary care sector met to discuss and contribute to the vision of General Practice in Northern Ireland. I would like to see a future where primary and community care work together to enable more people to stay well for longer, supported by healthcare within a community setting."

The afternoon then kicked off with a Health Policy Session, addressing the wider strategic context shaping rural practice, followed by a keynote presentation, "What are the opportunities and challenges of working rurally?" by Dr John Wynn Jones. 

Almost 40% of Northern Ireland’s population lives in a rural community. The substantial size of our rural population underscores the importance of ensuring that policy, service delivery and workforce planning are shaped around the realities of rural life.

Dr Louise Sands and Dr Maighread McKelvey presented on the theme of medical education "Undergraduate Medical Education in Rural Practice: Exploring Opportunities and Challenges", highlighting how medical training pathways can be strengthened to support future recruitment and retention in rural settings.

Dr Sands and Dr McKelvey highlighted that providing undergraduate medical students with experience in rural settings is essential for developing a deeper understanding of rural healthcare needs and strengthening their preparedness to work in these communities.

The day included a Patient Voice session in partnership with Arthritis UK and a clinical focus on paediatric emergencies led by Dr Nick Lipscomb.

Later in the afternoon, two interactive workshops enabled participants to examine key challenges in rural healthcare. Dr John Glenn and Dr Judith Pennick led a session focused on tackling geographical and access barriers, encouraging delegates to consider practical solutions for improving care in remote areas. In parallel, Dr Adele Heaney delivered a workshop on Hope in Rural Practice.

This was followed by a session from Dr Rebecca Orr, who outlined the importance of advocacy in rural practice and the role clinicians can play in shaping policy and championing community needs.

The day wrapped up with closing reflections from Dr Rachael Wright, Chair of the South- West Federation.

Dr Ursula Mason, Chair of RCGP NI, praised the event and emphasised the vital contribution of rural GPs in shaping the future of healthcare across Northern Ireland:

"Working as a GP in a rural community brings a set of nuances that are both deeply rewarding and uniquely challenging. Our rural GPs deliver cradle-to-grave care, often with greater distances, fewer local services and higher levels of clinical autonomy. Our conference highlighted not only the pressures faced by rural communities, such as workforce shortages and geographical barriers, but also the enormous opportunities that come from being embedded in closeknit communities. RCGP NI remains committed to advocating for the resources, training pathways and policy focus required to ensure rural practices can continue to thrive and deliver exceptional care."

Dr Miriam Dolan, Rural Health GP of RCGP NI also added:

"It was inspiring to see us come together around the real challenges of health inequalities. We left with renewed energy recognising that ‘rural doesn’t mean not urban’, seeing new hope and opportunities, and full of pride in being rural."

Further information

For media requests, contact Jill Brennan, Head of RCGPNI: email Jill.brennan@rcgp.org.uk, or call 020 3188 7724.

Notes to editors

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.