Introducing our first Newsreel for the 15th EURIPA Rural Health Forum!
The Forum will be taking place at Cartagena in Spain, and this year it will again be in the autumn, taking place from 1- 3 October 2026.
The title of our Forum this year is: Embracing Rural Diversity
There is rural diversity across Europe and within our communities: cultural, geographic, demographic, economic. There is also diversity in approaches to delivering rural primary care. Not only do different countries have different health systems, the approach to delivering care in rural areas varies enormously.
The two sub themes this year are:
In EURIPA Forums, the attendees are from across Europe, from very different contexts (sometimes even within the same country) but all have an interest in ‘rural health and rural practice’. The golden thread is ‘rural’ and each Forum provides an opportunity to compare and contrast your experiences and learn from each other, from your research, education and policy. The excitement comes from the interaction and the collaboration from these diverse contexts.
The big news is that this year, as well as the EURIPA Bursary for four students and young clinicians, we are also piloting the opportunity for four students and young clinicians to participate in a Pre-Forum Rural Exchange Programme. Participating students / young clinicians will be invited to give a presentation of their research and experiences of the Exchange in an international ‘Rural Café’.
As in previous years we welcome abstracts for oral presentation, posters, and workshops. As in 2025 we are again encouraging abstracts for “One slide/five minutes” presentations. These presentations are for people wanting to explore new areas for research, explore a research problem or invite potential collaborators to engage with them.
Our local host in Cartagena is SEMFYC, the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine. The rural group of SEMFYC is holding its annual conference at the same time as EURIPA and we are delighted to be offering joint discussion panels as a part of our programme, that will reflect our sub-themes. We will also be sharing a social programme.
The Forum web site will be live in mid-April when you will be able to access all the information that you will need to plan your trip and to submit your abstract. Watch out for social media posts and emails to announce the new web site.
The deadline for abstract submission: 14 June 2026
Our next Newsreel will be published in late April and will provide more information about the Forum including the keynote speakers.
We are delighted to invite you to join us at the 15th EURIPA Rural Health Forum 2026, a gathering of healthcare professionals, researchers, and community leaders dedicated to advancing wellbeing and healthcare in rural areas.
Save the Date!
Published on 15 April 2026.