Long Term Conditions (LTC) are health conditions that can impact on a person’s life and may require ongoing care and support. We organise appointments and provide support for people who have an LTC by putting in place a way of working called ‘Care and Support Planning’.
This way of working aims to give you the opportunity to get more out of your annual review appointments by reorganising the way things happen and giving you more information before you see one of our nurses. It should help you talk about:
What support you may need
What is important to you
What you can do to look after your health and stay well
Who is it for?
Any patient who has a Long-Term Condition (LTC).
This way of working is nearly always preferred by patients. It will help both you and our nurse make the best use of the time you have in your care and support planning appointment. All the important tests and results needed at your appointment will be available for discussion at your second appointment.
This means that your care and support planning review will take place over two separate appointments and you will have time to think about what you want to get out of these visits.
At the first appointment, you will be asked to attend the surgery to have a number of tests done with a Practice Nurse or Healthcare Assistant. The tests may include a blood test (non-fasting), weight, blood pressure and, if you’re diabetic, a foot check. The Practice Nurse or Healthcare Assistant will either book your next appointment which will be with one of our nurses, or ask you to arrange this appointment with the reception desk.
Your test results from this appointment will be available when you attend to see the nurse. The results of this test will be discussed with the nurse and any appropriate action taken.
At your care and support planning appointment you will be able to ask questions and talk about what’s important to you. The nurse will raise any issues she is concerned about. Once you both agree on the main things to work on, you will get the chance to work out a plan and identify any support you need to help you look after your health.
There are a number of services that can help you when it comes to looking after yourself if you have the following Long-Term Conditions – Diabetes, Chronic Heart Disease, (CHD), Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of death both in the UK and worldwide. CHD is sometimes called Ischaemic heart disease.
Further information about CHD available from NHS UK
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.
Further information about COPD available from NHS UK
Useful Links