ABSTRACT

Long-term conditions (also known as chronic illnesses) have been defined as conditions that require management over a period of years or decades, affect multiple areas of daily life and, at the present time, have no cure (Turk 1979). 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’.