Community nurses, health visitors and midwives are essential to diminish the impact of poverty on peoples' health. Cottage hospitals, where nurse-led care is given to patients who no longer need acute medical supervision, can provide rural communities with accessible healthcare. Some people in rural areas may have to travel a hundred miles to their main hospital. The Government recently acknowledged the value cottage hospitals in providing accessible health care. Similarly, primary health care must develop according to the needs of local people.
Rural poverty is often hidden Rural poverty exists within larger affluent areas.
Indices of deprivation do not necessarily reveal the extent of deprivation within rural communities. Many indicators are appropriate only for urban populations and are not sensitive to small pockets of deprivation within affluent rural areas. Limited access to health and community services. Many people in rural areas find it difficult to access services which improve health such as education and child care. This is partly because of the distances and poor public transport links.