October 6th 2025

By Ailsa Colquhoun

DDA25: Rural suicide training endorsed by the RCGP

The training module Rural Minds module: mental health and suicide risk in the farming community co-developed by DDA chairman Dr Richard West, has been endorsed by the RCGP rural forum.  

Other RCGP initiatives include a new Faculty of Remote, Rural & Humanitarian Healthcare at the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh).

Speaking to the 2025 DDA conference on its opening day of the 2025 DDA Delegates, RCGP Rural Forum Chair Dr Emma Watts invited delegates to collaborate on rural projects run by the RCGP Rural Forum Special Interest Group (SIG).

The SIG aims to give voice to the needs of rural GPs and their patients. These make up 18 per cent of the UK population, yet their health systems are based on Westminster models. Among the unique challenges facing rural patients and their GPs are fewer back up services and poor Internet connection, said RCGP Rural Forum Chair Dr Emma Watts. 

She said that key priorities for the RCGP include:

• Tackling the Workforce and Workload Crisis
• Reducing Health Inequalities
• Responding to the Climate Emergency
• Broader Goals.

View the presentation: How the RCGP is recognising rural general practice and the threat to business viability as services are centralised