Shaping the future of
rural and coastal health
About the Summit
Set in the South West Peninsula – one of England’s most expansive and geographically isolated regions – the Rural & Coastal Health Summit showcases how the area is pioneering innovative approaches and serving as a testing ground for transformative health solutions.
Read some key resources shared at the 2026 Summit
About the 2026 Summit
The inaugural Rural & Coastal Health Summit 2026 brought together leaders from across health and care, research, government, industry and the voluntary sector to explore how innovation, collaboration and place-based approaches can improve outcomes for rural and coastal communities.
Hosted by Health Innovation South West on behalf of the Peninsula Research & Innovation Partnership (PRIP), the summit took place at Somerset County Cricket Club in Taunton and provided a platform for national and regional leaders to share insights, showcase innovation and discuss practical solutions to improve health outcomes for rural and coastal populations.
The event highlighted the area’s growing role as a testbed for rural and coastal health innovation. Through keynote addresses, panel discussions and innovation showcases, attendees explored opportunities to accelerate research, strengthen partnerships and support the adoption of new approaches that can deliver meaningful impact for these communities.
Bringing together expertise from across sectors, the summit helped establish a shared vision for the future of rural and coastal health – one that recognises the importance of research, innovation and collaboration in improving outcomes, reducing inequalities and supporting sustainable economic growth.
Lucy Chappell
Great to join colleagues recently at the 2026 Rural & Coastal Health Summit in Taunton. I spoke about the “why here, why now”, and the opportunity for rural and coastal communities, such as those in the South West, to act as an innovation testbed, helping shape national approaches to improving health outcomes, reducing inequalities, and supporting economic growth.
The format was great, allowing time to make new connections and I heard lots of interesting suggestions about how the centre could support more - but I’d say you had the expertise and passion to make the change within the room. Well done to the Health Innovation South West team for bringing everyone together for such a stimulating day.”
Christina Farrow
Deputy Director for Innovation at NHS England
Stay up to date…
Stay up to date with our Rural and Coastal work and get advanced notice of future events, sign-ups and speakers.
