Table 2.

Community health assets and challenges

Common assets	Common challenges
Community spirit, people look out for each other	Fears for security in an emergency situation due to remoteness/weather
Resourceful, adaptable community members	Older people have to leave community if their care needs become too great
Low crime, beautiful scenery, a safe place to raise children	Lack of affordable housing
More online working has allowed working people to settle in the communities	Current practitioner about to retire, concern about finding replacement
Personalised continuous care from local practitioners	Current practitioner provides “above and beyond the call of duty”: fear that replacement will not provide a similar service if not contractually obliged
Local health practitioners are social assets and provide preventative care	For practitioners providing 24/7 service, concern of insufficient support, issues of stress and isolation
Flexible, resourceful health practitioners who think and act ‘out of the box’ when necessary	Poor access to patient transport to outpatient facilities in distant hospitals
Responsive air ambulance service connecting community to acute care in emergencies	Confusion about current health services provision: who does what, who to call, when