1. Initial Interview Analysis Highland Barbara Isaacs, Project Development Worker

2. Colour Coding GREEN = Positive comments about rural life RED = Negative comments about rural life BLUE = Suggestions and statements for better recruitment and retention

3. - Thematic analysis - 70 Interviews analysed - No detectable differences between professions - No detectable differences between countries

4. Analysis focussed on 4 Key Themes - Professional/Career - Social and Family Factors - Financial Factors - Professional Support and Governance

5. Professional/Career (positive) Rural medicine provides exciting opportunities and diverse work. Better continuity of care in rural medicine as you are given the opportunity to get to know patients well.

6. Professional/Career (negative) Many job opportunities are advertised poorly and can be missed by the target audience. There are a lack of development opportunities for me to add to skill set. The workloads in rural hospitals are onerous and more demanding.

7. Professional/Career People should have to work away from urban area as part of their training and early career to give them an opportunity to experience rural healthcare.

8. Social and Family factors (positive) I specifically sought out a remote and rural area for the lifestyle. I did not feel isolated in a rural area as I knew what it would be like. The outdoor lifestyle is great in a rural area. There are plenty of social activities here. People must go and find them.

9. Social and Family factors (negative) There is not enough to do in the area to keep me here. People are becoming more interested in ensuring they have a work life balance. Often shift patterns are better in an urban area so work fits in with family and social life better. I would have liked more support to set up my family and life here. The local transport is very poor and therefore restrictive socially.

10. Social and Family factors Set up events to integrate new staff into community. It is very important that the spouse can also get a job. Having a good school for their children is important.

11. Financial (negative) Travel costs are high so any remuneration is not very helpful. Health boards need to be more supportive in recruiting the right people. Using locum workers should not be the first solution. Cost of living in a rural area is high. Less resources available for rural health care is making it hard to do the same job.

12. Financial More people would be encouraged to move to a rural area if the benefits were improved. To improve recruitment and retention people need to be offered financial packages to help them make the move.

13. Professional Support and Governance (negative) There is a lack of support and mentoring for new employees. I must properly plan to take training in order to get someone to cover the time off. No longer have GP training days. These were a great opportunity to meet people and share news. Good for people new to the area. More peer support is needed to prevent you from getting stale in a job. More support is needed for set up/use of technology as some still don't understand how useful it is.

14. Professional Support and Governance (negative) As a rural practice we feel very undervalued. There is a lack of marketing of the area, people don’t know what is here, what is on offer for them.

15. Professional Support and Governance An effective induction is needed that includes social and cultural issues as well as professional support and job specific information. There needs to be better links with Universities to improve the interest in the area from students. A central website is needed that contains useful information such as jobs adverts and local information. A less centralised recruitment process is needed for some staff categories, more local recruitment team involvement. Need organised "ice breaking" events for new staff.

16. Recap of the suggestions that were most common Professional/Career People should have to work away from urban area as part of their training and early career to give them an opportunity to experience rural healthcare.

17. Recap of the suggestions that were most common Social and family factors Set up events to integrate new staff into community. It is very important that the spouse can also get a job. Having a good school for their children is important.

18. Recap of the suggestions that were most common Financial More people would be encouraged to move to a rural area if the benefits were improved. To improve recruitment and retention people need to be offered financial packages to help them make the move.

19. Recap of the suggestions that were most common Professional support and governance An effective induction is needed that includes social and cultural issues as well as professional support and job specific information. There needs to be better links with Universities to improve the interest in the area from students. A central website is needed that contains useful information such as jobs adverts and local information. A less centralised recruitment process is needed for some staff categories, more local recruitment team involvement. Need organised "ice breaking" events for new staff.