Rural community wellbeing has become a focus for Welsh universities and local NHS health board.
Aberystwyth University, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and Hywel Dda Health Board have seen an opportunity for the NHS and local universities in West Wales to work in partnership and innovate wellbeing in rural areas.
The bodies will look at how policies and services can improve the health and wellbeing of those communities.
The Welsh area of Hywel Dda accounts for more than a quarter of the country's land mass, yet holds only 13% of Wales' total population.
The number of people aged 75 or over is expected to increase by 75% by 2031, and one in three adults will be living in Wales with a long-term condition such as asthma or diabetes.
The health board is looking to appoint a chair to lead research and policy development including; access to technology, in the home and in the community; the impact of lifestyle and economic factors; improving integrated transport systems; and developing patients' knowledge of their condition and self-care.
Trevor Purt, chief executive of Hywel Dda Health Board, said: "We recognise the unique challenges of our large rural geography, but far from seeing this as a problem; we see it as an opportunity to evolve how we work in partnership with universities, voluntary organisations and local authorities to meet the specific health needs of our rural communities.
"This position is about ensuring our services work for the people we serve and will enable us to deliver a new type of healthcare provision in a real rural area, with real people, every day."
