A committee of MPs has accused the government of being complacent over access to mental healthcare in rural areas, after ministers rejected their calls for targeted action on the issue.

In May 2023 the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee warned that isolation, poor public transport, and a relative lack of digital connectivity have contributed to poor mental health outcomes among people living in rural communities in England, particularly farm workers and vets.1

In its response to the MPs’ report, published on 3 November,2 the government said it recognised that people in rural areas faced “specific challenges” in accessing mental health services but argued that existing …