About long-term conditions
Our vision is of a world where people affected by long-term conditions have control over their lives and can live them to the full.
Our mission is to ensure people affected by long-term conditions have access to the services and support they need and can be active participants in determining their care.
LTCA defines a long-term condition as 'a condition of prolonged duration that may affect any aspect of the person's life. Symptoms may come and go. Usually there is no cure, but there are often things that can be done to maintain and improve quality of life'.1
Long-term conditions affect us all. If you don't live with a long-term condition, the chances are that you know someone or are related to someone who does. There are approximately 17.5 million adults in the UK,2 and 15 million people in England living with a long-term condition,3 that's nearly one in three people.4
The UK population is ageing: life expectancy is expected to rise by four years to 81 for men and 85 for women by 2031.5 Currently 7.6 percent of the UK population are in the 75 and over age group, and this figure is increasing.6 As three quarters of people over 75 live with a long-term condition,7 there is an increasing need to acknowledge the specific needs of older people living with long-term conditions as well as the needs of young people and adults.
Long-term conditions already represent a large portion NHS care provision, '80 percent of GP consultations and 60 percent of hospital bed-days relate to long-term conditions' and due to the ageing population, the incidence is expected to double over the next 25 years.8 An estimated two thirds of current NHS activity and 80 percent of cost relate to those with the highest needs of these kinds.9
References
1
Acknowledging the expertise of patients and their organisations, Judy Wilson (Director, LMCA 1996-2001), BMJ Volume 319 pp771-774, 18 September 1999.
2
BMA website, Long-term conditions, Introduction (visited 21/11/06).
http://tinyurl.com/y77axr
3
Our health, our care, our say (2006), Department of Health, para 5.6, p109.
http://tinyurl.com/c8ne2
5
Government Actuary Department (2006) Population trends, Fig 1, p10. http://www.gad.gov.uk/Publications/docs/Population_trends_123.pdf
7
BMA website, Long-term conditions, Introduction (visited 21/11/06).
http://tinyurl.com/y77axr
8
High impact changes for practice teams (2006) NHS Improvement foundation, p6.
http://tinyurl.com/eq3qa
9
Our health, our care, our say (2006), Department of Health para 5.7, p110.
http://tinyurl.com/c8ne2