Scottish Executive - Effective Interventions Unit

In 'Integrated Care for Drug Users: principles and practice' ( EIU, 2002), the Effective Interventions Unit ( EIU) set out the evidence for an integrated approach to the treatment, care and support for drug users. Over the last two and a half years, EIU has produced a range of documents, and delivered workshops and seminars, to support the development of integrated care.

One of the key elements of effective integrated care is accessibility. Factors that influence accessibility include those associated with living and working in rural areas, such as: the range of accessible and available services, and maintaining anonymity in small communities. Recent EIU guides on Needs Assessment and Advocacy have each devoted a brief chapter to issues and solutions for rural areas. This review provides further exploration of the issues affecting the implementation of integrated care in rural areas and approaches to overcome any barriers.