ICCA World Impact Award Presented to the Discipline of General Practice for Rural WONCA 2022 Conference Legacy & Impact

University of Limerick School of Medicine ICCA World Impact award presented to the Discipline of General Practice, School of Medicine

The ICCA World Impact award was presented by Paul Mockler, Head of Business Development at Failte Ireland to Professor Liam Glynn and the General Practice team, School of Medicine in recognition of the societal impact which resulted from the WONCA World Rural Health Conference. The World Rural Health Conference, hosted by the School of Medicine, united healthcare professionals from across the globe to explore and address rural healthcare challenges and resulted in the publication of the “Limerick Declaration on Rural Healthcare”.

RRH: Rural and Remote Health article: 7905 - The Limerick Declaration on Rural Health Care 2022

The Limerick Declaration underscores the importance of accessible healthcare, the power of grassroots activism, and the role of academic institutions in driving meaningful change. The legacy of impact since the conference has included: establishment of Ireland’s first ICGP National Standing Committee for Rural General Practice; appointment of the first ever Professor of Rural General Practice at the University of Limerick; creation of a novel Rural GP Fellowship programme, supported by a €2 million investment from the Health Service Executive (HSE); development of a new Rural Teaching Hub at University of Limerick’s School of Medicine, allowing students to spend 25% of their clinical training in rural communities; advocacy efforts which have supported the development of a new Rural GP locum support for 239 rural GPs in some of Irelands most remote communities.