A report by the British Medical Association focuses on four key areas in rural healthcare: medical education and training; recruitment and retention of medical staff; accessibility and the impact of distance; and sustainability of services.

The main problems for people living in rural areas in accessing healthcare was lack of public transport, the centralisation of health services and the remoteness of the area itself.  The report also found some evidence to suggest that health outcomes for rural patients were poorer when compared with those living in urban areas.

It meant that people in those areas had to rely mainly on private transport, meaning that those who could not drive, such as young people and the elderly, could face serious problems in accessing healthcare.

The report also found that a higher proportion of older people live in rural areas, which means that local doctors generally have to deal with more cases of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and stroke.

Commenting on the report, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the BMA's Head of Ethics and Science said that the UK had to learn from countries such as Australia, the USA and Canada, which, she said, had "developed innovative solutions to the problems affecting rural healthcare".

Dr Nathanson also drew attention to the problem of deprivation and poverty in rural areas, which also caused problems for accessing proper healthcare.

These include: the improvement of public transport; an expansion in the use of telemedicine; and giving medical students the opportunity to choose a rural placement.

To download the report click here