When it became "The Dales", the show did try to copy "The Archers", which was originally a medium to disseminate information to the agricultural community, and to give an insight into rural affairs to the public. In "The Dales" the plots now revolved around medical conditions and problems. When the series ran a story about the importance of women having regular cervical smear tests and checking their breasts for lumps, the junior health minister praised the programme, saying it had encouraged thousands of women to see their doctor.