Supporting People Living with Long-term Conditions

There are some 15 million people in the UK currently living with a long-term condition and many more millions worldwide. Many are living with more than one long-term condition, which is impacting on both their physical and psychological wellbeing. Self-management of long-term conditions The focus of healthcare is rapidly changing both globally and across professional disciplines. Quality, patient-centred care requires an understanding of the evidence base for disease management, alongside collaborative care planning that includes the patient, their family, carers and the multidisciplinary team. This approach will empower individuals with long-term conditions to self-manage their care and ensure that they are supported holistically. To enable this, effective partnership working with healthcare professionals is essential. How best can this be achieved? Understand and support people with long-term conditions This free online course enables healthcare professionals to better understand and support people living with long-term conditions. Learning with academic experts and practitioners from King’s College London, as well as other healthcare professionals worldwide, you will explore some of the key issues such as: How can long-term conditions be defined? What are the social and economic impacts of living with a long-term condition? What are the links between effective symptom management and living well? How can individuals be supported in self-management? Can telehealth/telemedicine aid those living with chronic conditions to remain independent? How can inter-professional working educate and empower both patients and their families or carers to be actively engaged in decision making? How does having a long-term condition affect a carer’s health and their relationships?

• Ehsan Khan