Nurses are seen as approachable and have time to listen to farmers' health problems. The Cumbria Nurse Practitioner Project, an innovative farmers' health project led by nurses is targeting farm accidents, mental health and occupational diseases. Two full-time nurse practitioners are employed on the project, both from farming backgrounds, along with two support workers. The project may form a model for good practice. Background information on rural poverty Rural areas are difficult to define.
Researchers find it difficult to draw accurate boundaries around rural areas.
More than 120,000 jobs in agriculture have disappeared over the last 20 years with a net influx of over 1 million people coming into the rural community during that time. Figures provided by Institute of Rural Health, Powys, Wales. Assessing mental health needs in rural communities, Mental Health Nursing.