Rural mental healthMPs accuse ministers of complacency over accessA committee of MPs accused the UK government of being complacent over access to mental healthcare in rural areas, after ministers rejected their calls for targeted action. A report in May by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee warned that isolation, poor public transport, and a lack of digital connectivity contributed to poor mental health outcomes among people in rural communities in England, particularly farm workers and vets.1 In its response the government said it recognised that people in rural areas faced “specific challenges” in access to mental health services, but it argued that existing provisions were largely sufficient.2 (Full story doi:10.1136/bmj.p2570)Learning disabilitiesPatients “face persistent safety risks” in hospitalsPeople with learning disabilities continue to face “persistent and widespread” risks to safety when being treated in NHS acute hospitals, warned the Health Services Safety Investigations Body.3 In a report published on 2…
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