Long-term conditions: information tool for commissioners

The main aim of the information tool is to share a common vision of good service for people with long-term conditions and to provide practical suggestions for commissioners to help them achieve that vision. Download the tool and read the accompanying letter from Gary Belfield.

To find other posts relating to similar topics, please click on the tag words below.

Supporting people to live well

The first national Self Care Awareness Week takes place from the 9 – 15 November 2009 and aims to raise awareness of the information and support available to help people, and especially those with long term conditions take control of their own health and wellbeing.

Self Care covers every aspect of living a healthy life, from brushing our teeth to looking after ourselves when recovering from illness. People with long term conditions are already doing this well but some are still unaware of the choice of support and information available to help manage their condition. For instance, everyone with a long term condition can have a personalised care plan, access to courses and support groups as well as knowing about the right equipment to help live healthy and stay independent.

Activities to support Self Care Week are being held around the country; in addition, charities including Men’s Health Forum are involved in the week to inform people and those with a long term conditions that being able to self care puts you in charge of your own healthcare.

CHAIN members are encouraged to support the campaign and raise awareness locally by displaying the self care week posters in GP practices, writing about the week in newsletters and using the web buttons and banners on both online and offline materials. These are available on the Department of Health’s website at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_107585

People living with a health condition, or who just want to learn how to look after their self better, can ask their healthcare professional for information on the advice and support available or visit www.nhs.uk/yourhealth.

To find other posts relating to similar topics, please click on the tag words below.

Creating a workforce to support long-term conditions

The Managing Long Term Conditions group will be hosting ‘Creating a workforce to support long-term conditions’, a conference in Harrogate on 15th and 16th April 2010. Click here for further information.

To find other posts relating to similar topics, please click on the tag words below.

Your health, your way: a guide to long term conditions and self care - communications toolkit

This toolkit provides all of the assets and artwork to enable you to implement a communications campaign at a local level.
An introduction to Your health, your way (formally the patients prospectus) is included within this section of the toolkit. You can consult the toolkit guidelines for information and guidance on using these assets, as well as recommendations on how you can communicate Your health, your way across various media.
For further information visit NHS Networks’ website

To find other posts relating to similar topics, please click on the tag words below.

Conference: Managing Long Term Conditions - Personalised Care Plans and Self Care Services

Capita’s Managing Long Term Conditions Conference will ensure health and social care providers are equipped with the skills to meet the 2010 target of implementing effective personalised care plans and providing a full range of self care services.
As the prevalence of long term conditions increases, the promotion of pro-active management and self care are vital priorities for the NHS and social care services in order to meet the growing health care burden. The conference is being held on 16th September 2009 in London. Click here for further information.

To find other posts relating to similar topics, please click on the tag words below.

Kings Fund Conference - Managing long-term conditions

This conference forms part of a series of events on long-term conditions. The event will focus on sustaining innovations and new technologies for managing long-term conditions. This conference will, use case studies to illustrate ways of working, and engaging patients and health professionals with innovations, to ensure that new systems are not under-used. It will provide a series of practical workshops to share learning around innovations that are most effective in managing long-term conditions and examine the challenges and discuss ways of commissioning. The Conference will be held on 9th July in London. Click here for further details and to book your place!

To find other posts relating to similar topics, please click on the tag words below.

Sustaining innovations and new technologies for managing long-term conditions - Conference from The Kings Fund

With the Department of Health focus on how to integrate health and social care working and encourage support for self care, there is an increasing role for innovation and assistive technologies to support this and create better health outcomes for those with long-term conditions. This conference to be held on 9th July in London, uses case studies to illustrate ways of working, and engaging patients and health professionals with innovations, to ensure that new systems are not under-used
provide a series of practical workshops to share learning around innovations that are most effective in managing long-term conditions it also examine the challenges and discuss ways of commissioning and investing in new technologies which remain viable in the future. Click here for further inforamtion and to book your place.

To find other posts relating to similar topics, please click on the tags below.

Putting quality of life and psychological management at the heart of patient care

Lifepsychol 2009 is a unique 2 day event bringing together leading professionals to share their expertise in long-term and life-threatening illnesses. The conference programme offers a fascinating array of thought-provoking talks to demonstrate why supporting the psychosocial needs of patients is crucial to delivering an effective and efficient healthcare service.
For further information and to book your place on Lifepsycol 2009, why not click here.

To find other posts relating to similar topics, please click on the tags below.

Self Management of Long-Term Conditions Sub-group

The aims of the Self Management Long Term Conditions sub-group is to provide a mechanism for sharing experience, ideas, knowledge and best practice amongst those with an interest in promoting self-management in service delivery as well as acting as means for signposting members to relevant events and information.
The subgroup seeks to build a network that is broad so that members from a range of backgrounds will be able to contribute their unique perspective on the issues affecting self management within health and social care provision. It is anticipated that membership should derive from all care sectors, including voluntary and independent groups.
If you have any questions about the subgroup please contact the facilitator Suma Surendranath on 020-7840-4982
You can join the sub-group from CHAIN’s website (click on ‘Join’ for the membership form).

Supporting people with long term conditions: commissioning personalised care planning - a guide for commissioners

This guide aims to provide commissioners of health and social care services with the information and support they need to embed personalised care planning in their localities. This should ensure that people with long term conditions receive more individualised care and services to help them manage their conditions better and achieve the outcomes they want for themselves. The guide was developed in collaboration with stakeholders across health, social care, the voluntary and independent sectors and patient representative groups.

Effective Care - Effective Communication: Living and Dying with COPD DVD

Effective Care - Effective Communication: Living and Dying with COPD is an educational package from IMPRESS consisting of a DVD and a CD of PowerPoint slides. The DVD comprises short film clips of patients' and carers' stories and views on diagnosis and end of life dialogue and an 'expert panel' discussion on ways to approach these issues with tips on how to improve the consultation. The CD also draws out the key learning points, references and links to the latest evidence and publications and consultation on the COPD Clinical Strategy. Click here for further information and to order a copy.

Patients' Prospectus - 'Your Health, Your Way - A Guide to Long Term Conditions and Self Care' - National Launch

The national Patients' Prospectus was launched on NHS Choices on the 2 November 2008 under the title ‘Your health, your way - a guide to long term conditions and self care’. It will provide people with long term conditions the information they need about the choices, which should be available to them locally, to enable them to self care in partnership with health and social care professionals. This is about providing information to people on choices they can consider in order to fully engage in discussions about their care. Read the letter from Mark Britnell announcing the launch of the Patients' Prospectus and access 'Your health, your way' here.

Expert Patients Course for Disabled People and People with Long Term Health Conditions

This FREE course provides tried and tested skills which have been shown to benefit people with long term health conditions. It is open to anyone with a long term health condition who wants to learn to manage and improve their health. Some of the techniques which the course covers are: managing symptoms and improving how you feel; relaxation; healthy eating and nutrition; dealing with anger, fear, frustration, isolation, fatigue and depression; how to make plans which work for you and working with health care professionals. For full details and booking info, click here.

National Audit of Services for People with Multiple Sclerosis 2008

In November 2003 NICE made six key recommendations concerning the management of people with MS, and identified one sentinel marker for service quality. In 2005/6 an initial audit identified major failures in NHS services. In 2007/8 a full national (England and Wales) audit was undertaken. Read the findings here: summary or full report.

Long Term Neurological Conditions - good practice guide

The Long Term Neurological Conditions guide is a new resource produced in conjunction with a number of healthcare charitable organisations. The aim of the guide is to help commissioners and providers of services to people with long term neurological conditions offer the best possible service. It outlines why services for neurological conditions are important, shows the importance of multidisciplinary healthcare teams plus illustrates and clarifies the contribution of specialist nurses. It also features examples of good practice and feedback from patients.