We are witnessing an explosion in the numbers
of people with long-term conditions.
There are 17 million people with long-term conditions
such as asthma, arthritis or diabetes in the UK
and the numbers are rising. By 2025, if trends
continue, about half the population will be living
with at least one long-term condition.The likelihood
of having a long-term condition increases with
age. Two-thirds of UK residents aged 75 and over
have at least one long-term condition.
Long-term
conditions pose a serious challenge, not only
to people living with these conditions and to
their families, but also to public services and
society as a whole.
The Partnership on Long-term Conditions has a
vision of a society in which people with long-term
conditions are active citizens who have control
over their lives and can live them to the full.
We aspire to a society where long-term conditions
are managed and are not seen as remarkable or
unusual.
This
manifesto calls for a change in the way that services
are delivered, to meet the changing needs of those
who use them. We must unlock the potential of
everyone with a long-term condition by investing
in early diagnosis and assessment, high-quality
information and support, and individual care plans
for everyone diagnosed with a long-term condition.
