This book explores the notion of Managing Long Term Conditions (MLTC) by focusing on aspects of clinical and community practice both for people requiring occasional programmes and for those with more complex needs necessitating a range of care provision. However, care provided for people living with long term conditions consists not only of that provided by health and social care professionals, but also care provided by friends and family, the voluntary sector, faith and charitable organizations and also self-care by the people who live with long term conditions. An important aspect for consideration in MLTC, therefore, lies in the context of self-help and lay care, and this book includes the concept of "patient as expert". The focus of Managing Long Term Conditions is on the social model of care rather than the dominant medical model as the modern healthcare system has come to recognize the value of social determinants of health in contributing to the long term health outcomes of the population.
Providing coverage of each branch of healthcare--adult, children, mental health and learning disabilities--this book is essential reading for both students and practitioners in community nursing and across healthcare in general.