... but what?
All political parties should recognise that long-term
conditions impact on every area of life; it is
not simply a matter of keeping people out of hospital.
The aim must be to enhance people’s ability
to live independent lives.(3)
The Government is currently testing risk stratification,
diseasemanagement and case-management approaches,
imported from health organisations in the US.
But it is important to avoid focusing resources
disproportionately on the small minority of people
with the most complex conditions.
We
believe the answer lies with people with long-term
conditions themselves.
Let’s
see people as individuals first and foremost,
let’s acknowledge that we are the real experts
in how our conditions affect our lives, and let’s
trust individuals to take control of their own
lives, with the right care and support.
We
are calling for a firm commitment to early, accurate
and expert diagnosis and needs assessment which
is regularly reviewed; access to high-quality
information and support to help people make choices;
and individual care plans for everyone diagnosed
with a long-term condition.
We
consider each issue in turn, proposing ambitious
but achievable goals. These changes can be achieved
with our current health and social care system
and do not require changes to the organisation
and funding of the NHS.
Many
people campaign for improvements to our public
services. Our approach is different – we
campaign for improvements to people’s lives.
----------------------------
3 ) See the Ten Principles of Independent Living
as set out in the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit
Analytical Report, Improving the Life-chances
of Disabled People (June 2004): 160.
