WORKING TOGETHER—RAISING THE PROFILE OF RURAL RESEARCH
The joint EGPRN–EURIPA conference was a ‘first’ for two of Wonca Europe's networks and took place in Malta in October 2013. The theme for EURIPA's 4th Rural Health Forum was ‘Research’. Therefore, a partnership with EGPRN, Wonca Europe's research network, seemed a natural consequence. We wanted to encourage greater participation in research by rural general practitioners and also to encourage research into rural general practice by experienced researchers and the universities. Planning started after Wonca Europe's 2012 conference in Vienna. Without modern technology it would have been much more difficult to achieve—many telephone conferences pan-Europe were held during the year to agree not only on a title but also on what ‘joint’ (as in joint working) was going to mean to ensure that each network had an equitable profile in the two-day event.
Malta was chosen as an accessible venue (with good weather in mid-October!) and good transport systems on the island. There were challenges along the way as the two networks are of different sizes and work in different ways. Nevertheless, agreement was reached on an integrated programme with promotion by both networks, and a booking system through the EGPRN web site.
The conference included parallel sessions for EURIPA and EGPRN but also joint sessions. Delegates were free to attend workshops that engaged their particular interests. Keynote addresses started both days, which included a variety of workshops and poster sessions. Joint statements from the plenary sessions and a position paper from the conference will be published.
As not many rural doctors hold university posts, attendances at conferences can be difficult, especially in this financial climate. Malta, being a fantastic venue for a conference, is not considered a rural island—it is the most densely populated member state of the European Union—but it does have some less populated areas so that family doctors experience similar problems to elsewhere. In the end, well over 100 GPs and researchers came together over the three-day period.
Everyone was pleased with the conference and both networks have agreed to continue the collaboration and will submit an abstract for a joint workshop at Wonca Europe 2014 in Lisbon. Other opportunities for further joint working were discussed. There are plans for initiatives that will encourage rural general practitioners to start doing research in their practices: providing research courses in partnership, developing on-line courses together, undertaking joint projects. This is aimed at increasing the number of research active general practitioners and will also stimulate the interest in rural research by other academics by facilitating engagement with rural practitioners.