Policy at the margins: developing community capacity in a rural Health Action Zone

The imperative to engage with communities and employ a community development approach is an integral part of the national agenda under New Labour. However, a large part of the literature and experience that informs contemporary policy and practice draws on the urban realm. This paper draws on the evaluation of a rural Health Action Zone to explore the extent to which national policy can facilitate local approaches to community health development within a rural context. Despite avowed support for innovation and evidence-based learning, it finds a continued emphasis on consensual tactics, low-cost solutions and traditional methods of ranking deprivation.