There are about 15 million people who have a long-term condition. These are chronic diseases where there is no current cure and are managed with drugs and other treatments.
Examples of long-term conditions are: arthritis, asthma, epilepsy, diabetes, hypertension, angina, heart failure, Parkinson’s, MS, MD and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
'People with long-term conditions now account for about 50 per cent of all GP appointments, 64 per cent of all outpatient appointments and over 70 percent of all inpatient bed days.' (source: www.kingsfund.org.uk).
Being given a long-term diagnosis can be frightening and extremely stressful. It can bring new challenges and routines into your life which can be difficult to become accustomed to. As different conditions come with different challenges there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ way to cope, but we have many ways in which we can help you.
The impact of a long-term condition may affect many areas of your life such as family relationships and ability to work. Getting the correct support network in place could be critical as it will help you to decide when you may need care or help, which will support your independence.
'The number of people with three or more long-term conditions is predicted to rise from 1.9 million in 2008 to 2.9 million in 2018 (1). The ageing population and increased prevalence of long-term conditions have a significant impact on health and social care and may require £5 billion additional expenditure by 2018 (1)' (source: www.kingsfund.org.uk).
