RESIDENTS living in rural areas of Winsford and Middlewich are disadvantaged at not being able to readily access health services, according to Simon Cussons, chairman of South Cheshire Health Authority.

He highlighted the plight of the rural disadvantaged during a public meeting in the health authority headquarters in Chester.

Mr Cussons promised to draw the Government's attention to the plight of those living in isolation and deprived circumstances in the countryside.

He said: "We have, among our residents, some of the most disadvantaged and poorest people in our society. This is because they live in remote little hamlets or in individual properties deep in the countryside and are not, therefore, able to access health and other types of services in the same way as their urban cousins."

The health authority chairman is contributing to a consultation process currently being conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

He explained: "The point that I will be making most strongly is that these most disadvantaged and poorest people in our society will not show up in enumeration district figures, which is the smallest unit of statistical measurement available to us.

"This is because they live in relatively affluent communities, literally next door to some of the most fortunate.

"We have a responsibility to these people and I certainly think that they need to be identified and rural deprivation recognised for what it is - hardship at the most extreme end of the spectrum of deprivation.

"I will be making this point to the consultative body most strongly - and hope others do so too."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.