ABSTRACT
This chapter describes many of the various ideas for maintaining professional competence in rural areas in the UK and abroad. Rural practitioners have always been disadvantaged because distance from education centres, isolation and lack of cover have tended to exclude them from traditional Continuing professional development (CPD) activities. Excessive workload in primary care has been shown to be one of the major barriers to effective professional development. Small group activities are less dependent on postgraduate centres and are often held in GP surgeries and community hospitals. The proposed health service changes outlined in the Government White Papers for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are the first reforms in recent years to have emphasised the importance of training and education for health professionals. Healthcare professionals have access to a wide range of professional literature, ranging from peer-reviewed scientific journals to free publications which provide summaries of recently published research and news.
