Source: Scottish Government8 Fold Urban-Rural Classification Scheme, 2007-08
Seventy eight percent of the Western Isles’ population live in areas classified as very remote-rural compared to 3.2% in Scotland as a whole, this is the largest remote-rural proportion of any health board area.1 The Western Isles has the second lowest population density at 8.5 persons/square km of all Scottish health boards , the Scottish average is 65.2 persons/sq. km.2These remoteness and sparsity factors of the Western Isles population place obvious challenges in delivering health services particularly where the focus of government policy is to provide care as near to the patient as possible. The implications of such factors for the population’s health are felt in terms of accessibility of services and also in other direct impacts on a person’s health arising from the economic vulnerability and social isolation of their remote-rural situation.
Demography, socio-economic trends and population health impacts.
Demographic trends have a clear impact on workforce planning and population health needs both through the overall changes in population size and in the age/gender composition.
The Western Isles’ population has experienced significant decline for a number of years with falling birth rates being the main factor. This is forecast to continue into foreseeable future (See graph below) with the Western Isles Health Board area expected over the next 25 years to have the second largest percentage decrease in Scotland.
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