Rural Mental Health Matters Limited

Calling All In Rural Communities and Those Who Care About Making Rural Health Care More Equitable! 📣 Please see original post from Rural Health Compass & have your say! 💬🗨

New this week....listen to our Founder and CEO Melanie Costas ~ Pink Haired Warrior 💖 chatting to Founder of Rural Health Compass Veronika Rasic In the UK, a 5th of the population live in rural communities. They face huge challenges and barriers to accessing even the most basic essential support services. Virtually *all* support services set up head quarters in larger towns and cities, expecting those living rurally to somehow magically get to them! 😳 Isolation is a massive risk factor in suicide. Isn't it time to fund the hubs & wellbeing on wheels WOW vehicles? Isn't it time that rural inclusion becomes more than just an illusion?

Have you heard about our mental health services? Check out this carousel for all the details!! Link here, to find out more: https://lnkd.in/eg2HXSSG image description of carousel for accessibility: 5 pages of purple slides. page 1 picture of Amanda Whitlock, smiling facing the camera. page 2 showing all the awards Amanda has won. page 3 has same photo of Amanda on. page 4 has selection of courses available. page 5 has contact details on.

Today we hear publicly from our Founder & CEO Melanie Costas ~ Pink Haired Warrior 💖 Do you stand with us? 🙏 Please show your support by sharing/reposting, giving a reaction and commenting. 💬 Together we can show up for those who are unable to show up.... Those who are scared. Those who have suffered, and continue to suffer from direct hatred. Those who have had their property, their belongings, destroyed. All, who have suffered so much already. 💔 We at Rural Mental Health Matters, all care about standing up for what's right. We simply cannot stay silent! 💜 There's support available via our resources page for anyone who is affected by the abhorrent acts of racism and violence in the UK & around the world. 🇬🇧 🌎 Link here: https://lnkd.in/emKC93-V You can also report anything here: https://lnkd.in/dwSbDix image description for accessibility: lilac poster with 2 images on, top left a person holding a banner saying "no human being is illegal" Bottom right 2 people holding hands one white, one brown skin tones. Logo of Rural Mental Health Matters bottom left and 2 badges bottom right, one says "not in my name" one has a hand raised and the word racism under it.

🚨 PM Keir Starmer promises to start "straight away" on fixing the NHS 🚨 At Rural Mental Health Matters, we stress the urgent need for healthcare reform, especially in rural areas where services are already stretched thin. The new government must address the unique challenges faced by rural communities and ensure equal access to quality healthcare for all. We urge the government to prioritise rural health in their plans to overhaul the NHS. Addressing the healthcare inequalities in rural areas is crucial for the well-being of these communities. #RuralMentalHealthMatters #HealthcareEquality #NHSReform #SupportRuralCommunities #MentalHealthMatters

📢 Rural communities are often left to "get on with it" as individual needs are overlooked. The NHS and third sector services are unable to cope with the demand, leaving many without the support they need. Key Issues Facing Rural Communities: Economic Disparity: Average rural wages are 7.5% less than urban equivalents. Higher Costs: The rural premium means everyday costs like fuel and transport are 10-20% higher. Inflation Impact: Inflation on raw and agricultural resources has reached 25-30%, exacerbating financial distress. It's time to recognise these challenges and advocate for better support and funding for rural mental health services. Together, we can make a difference. 🌾💜 Read more about these issues here: https://lnkd.in/eBWS7qCb #RuralMentalHealthMatters #RuralHealth #SupportRuralCommunities #HealthcareEquality #EconomicDisparity #CostOfLivingCrisis #MentalHealthSupport

Imagine how many lives could be saved if Melanie Costas ~ Pink Haired Warrior 💖 was sitting at that new cabinet meeting table at Keir Starmer !!! Who is the new minister for mental health? And disabilities? How many in the cabinet have lived experience? How many are disabled? How many have a mental health illness? How many are neurodivergent? Historically, there have been MPs with various disabilities, but current figures suggest that their representation is significantly lower than desired! Perhaps the ministers for leveling up need Melanie in their team? Without proactive inclusion, there will be continued exclusion.

Having read your manifesto Association of Mental Health Providers we are quite astonished you have missed off around a 5th of the population who face huge challenges and barriers to accessing support when they need it....that's over 12 million people in the UK who live in rural communities. Add in another huge minority, the 1 in 5 who live with disabilities, and accessing support becomes nigh on impossible! We reached out to you a few years ago as we are all about collaboration, and as the only organisation that represents the rural voice for England and Wales, we were dismissed. We work closely with Centre for Mental Health who are supporting us, however in order to implement effective changes with our innovative and phenomenal solutions, to reduce the inequalities that those living rurally face, as you know isolation is a major risk re suicide...we are not funded, so even our amazing Founder & CEO Melanie Costas ~ Pink Haired Warrior 💖 is on zero salary! The main reason for these rural vs urban inequalities? Lack of accountability & what we call wilful apathy. Mostly all support organisations, both statutory & non statutory, are based in larger towns & cities, expecting those living rurally to somehow magically get to them. We know from research by Newcastle University that people with a cancer diagnosis are less likely to survive, if they live rurally, than those who don't! Accessing support via a GP, the 1st port of call for many people, is also rurally more challenging, as rural communities face much longer waits to see a GP vs those living in urban areas. We must have rurally inclusive policies and we must fund Rural Mental Health Matters Limited as we can work with organisations to help them become more rurally inclusive. Exclusion costs lives. Can you please kindly explain why you've neglected rural inequalities in your manifesto? Melanie is happy to work with you as a fractional senior-level team member or consultant! Her 30 plus years of lived experience must be valued though! So many organisations ask her to work with them on projects without any renumeration, this is hugely exploitative as well as insulting! Our RMHM rural community wellbeing centres & mobile outreach WOW vehicles (Wellbeing On Wheels) need funding, and will save lives!!! We've been campaigning about this for almost 5 years. Isn't it time to end these inequalities? Paul Vittles Towards Zero Suicide CIC Maggie Abrahart Seamus Corry Steve Phillip

🌡️ During hot weather, it's easy to overheat, especially in rural areas where access to immediate healthcare can be limited. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are serious conditions that can affect anyone, but those in remote locations may face added risks. At Rural Mental Health Matters, we emphasise the importance of awareness and preparedness during heatwaves. Rural residents often face unique challenges, and staying informed about heat-related illnesses is crucial. Prioritise your health and well-being, and don't hesitate to seek help if needed. 💜 #RuralMentalHealthMatters #HeatSafety #HeatExhaustion #Heatstroke #RuralHealth #StaySafe #HealthcareEquality #MentalHealthMatters

📢 In Devon, we've been boiling our water for nearly a month due to a cryptosporidium outbreak affecting 2,500 homes. At Rural Mental Health Matters, we emphasise that access to clean water is a fundamental right. This crisis highlights the broader healthcare inequalities we face in rural communities. We stand with our fellow Devon residents in demanding swift action and fair compensation. Join us in raising awareness about rural healthcare struggles and advocating for better support. Together, we can make a difference. 💜 #RuralMentalHealthMatters #HealthcareEquality #Devon #CleanWater #Cryptosporidium #SouthWestWater #RuralHealth #SupportRuralCommunities