Long-term conditions
The Long-term (Neurological) Conditions National Service Framework (NSF) was launched in March 2005. The NSF aims to transform the way health and social care services support people to live with long-term neurological conditions. Key themes are independent living, care planned around the needs and choices of the individual, easier, timely access to services and joint working across all agencies and disciplines involved. The principles of the NSF are also relevant to service development for other long-term conditions. This NSF is a key tool for delivering the government's strategy to support people with long-term conditions outlined in the White Paper Our health, our care, our say and the NHS Improvement Plan: Putting People at the Heart of Public Services. It applies to health and social services working with local agencies involved in supporting people to live independently, such as providers of transport, housing, employment, education, benefits and pensions.
Links
Key levers:
- Skilled rehabilitation teams are essential to help individuals make physical, emotional, social and environmental adjustments so they can become more independent and enjoy a better quality of life.
- Rehabilitation can also prevent deterioration and secondary complications.
- Multidisciplinary teams of health and social care professionals usually deliver rehabilitation. These teams include speech and language therapists.
- Access to support in the community will be improved. Key elements of successful rehabilitation and support on the community include a range of therapies including speech and language therapies.
- Providers of rehabilitation and support services will train those providing day-to-day support to make sure that the rehabilitation becomes part of everyday life and helps to maintain the individual's health and well being and prevents their condition deteriorating.
- Evidence based markers of good practice:
- Rehabilitation is provided early, at high intensity appropriate to need, by a coordinated interdisciplinary team
- Trained rehabilitation, nursing or allied health professions staff support people to apply the skills acquired during therapy sessions in routine daily living activities.
- Individuals should receive a prompt assessment. This will take into account the communication, emotional and behavioural problems of people with long-term conditions.
Other documents
Improving the life chances of disabled people, 2005
Key levers for SLTs
- Early intervention by paediatric therapists such as speech and language therapists has significant benefits for the cognitive and behavioral development of young children.
- The children's workforce needs strengthening to meet the needs of the changing disabled children's population, in particular to address the shortage of speech and language therapists.
- There is a need to build up core competencies in the health and education workforce regarding expected child development and behaviour, and early indications of special educational needs.
Next page: Older People