Shropshire featured in Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2026 – Health in Rural Areas and Small Towns

Shropshire Council has been included as a case study in the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England’s annual report for 2026, focused on health in rural areas and small towns. 

Published today, the report recognises the challenges of providing services that help to keep people healthy in rural England, such as having an older population than the UK average and people living further away from services, like GPs, pharmacies and hospitals.    

This is a considerable challenge for Shropshire, where 26% of the population is over the age of 65, set to increase by 33% by 2043.    

Strengthening community-based and neighbourhood services, tackling loneliness and social isolation for older people in rural areas are highlighted as priorities to help overcome this challenge.  

The report also notes the difficulty rural services can have in recruiting health and care professionals and measuring rural deprivation, whilst advocating a preventative approach, that supports people to stay healthy and well where they live, a key priority in Shropshire’s Corporate Plan.     

Professor Chris Whitty visited Shropshire in November 2025

As part of the research for the report, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, England’s Chief Medical Officer visited Shropshire in November 2025, meeting with council leaders, health and care partners, the local town council and community representatives.   

The visit included the Severn Centre at Highley, one of Shropshire’s Community and family hubs, with GP services, leisure and fitness facilities, plus family support sessions and community groups all under one roof.  

Ruth Houghton, Shropshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health, said:  

“The report provides an important contribution to the national conversation about health in rural communities. It recognises a number of the challenges that areas such as Shropshire face, while also highlighting the value of strong local partnerships and community-based approaches to improving health and wellbeing.”  

“The case study reflects the collective work of organisations across Shropshire that are working together to improve access to support, reduce health inequalities and strengthen prevention. It also reinforces the importance of ensuring that rural communities are considered in the design and delivery of future health and care services.” 

Rachel Robinson, Corporate Director of Health, Wellbeing and Neighbourhoods at Shropshire Council, said: 

“As the second largest inland county, with one of the sparsest populations in the country, we are very familiar with the challenges of providing services that help to keep people healthy in rural areas.   

“As this report shows, we adapt to these challenges by fostering strong partnerships and finding flexible and collaborative ways to reach our communities.  

“Whether that’s by offering blood pressure checks at farmers markets or offering telephone support to help people quit smoking, in Shropshire we are used to going the extra mile to ensure all our residents have the opportunity to thrive. 

“This report is a welcome recognition of the hidden inequalities rural residents can face, and the importance of a national approach to tackling these, so everyone can access the support they need to be healthy and connected, wherever they live.” 

Dr Salma Reehana, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and NHS Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, said:   

“It is fantastic to see the work happening across our county recognised in this report. Our health and care teams and partners are already doing so much to support local people – and this recognition gives us an opportunity to look at how we can go even further, particularly for our rural communities. 

“We want to build on this work, bringing services together around people and their communities, focusing more on prevention and providing support closer to home. This is at the heart of our ambition for strong neighbourhood teams and closely reflects the direction set out in the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan. 

“Through the strong partnerships we already have across the county, we can build on examples such as the Severn Centre at Highley and create more opportunities to help people stay healthy, independent and well for as long as possible.” 

 To read the CMO annual report in full, visit: Chief Medical Officer’s annual report 2026: health in rural areas and small towns – GOV.UK