ABSTRACT
Long-term conditions affect multiple areas of day to day life. The UK Department of Health (2012) defines them as conditions which last over a year, for which there is currently no cure, but for which medical care can be used to control symptoms. As such they can include anything from cancer to arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease or Batten disease. There are a huge range of conditions or diseases that fall under the umbrella of long-term disabling conditions and vary according to diagnosis, trajectory and prognosis as well as the number and general profile of people living with the condition. This said, commonalities include the requirement to live with the condition on an ongoing basis, the effect on daily life, the impact of the associated disability/disabilities associated with the condition and the lack of a ‘cure’.
