Emma Sheffield
Communications and Marketing Manager, the Patients Association
Living with a chronic condition is never just about medical care. For many patients, especially those from underserved communities, it also comes with practical challenges. However, support is available.
Practical challenges patients with a chronic condition face include paying for transport to appointments, accessing healthy food or navigating disability assistance. One patient told us that it’s “an extra battle to get access to services you need, [which] is exhausting for someone who is already having to battle for almost everything they are doing.”
Support for patients living with a chronic condition
Support is available, and awareness of that support is key. Schemes like the NHS Low Income Scheme and Healthcare Travel Cost Scheme help with costs such as prescriptions and transport. For those struggling with everyday expenses, the Household Support Fund offers help through local councils. Personal Independence Payments (PIP) can support patients with a long-term physical or mental health condition.
Staff don’t believe you are
an expert on your own health.
Access to relevant information
Carers, healthcare professionals and the wider community all play a role in ensuring this information reaches the people who need it most. Encouraging shared decision-making, signposting patients to services like the Patients Association’s free helpline and taking the time to understand each person’s unique circumstances can make a significant difference.
Self-management empowers patients
Self-management also empowers patients to take an active role in their care. That might mean preparing for appointments, tracking symptoms and asking questions when things aren’t clear. However, too often, patients find themselves dismissed or unheard. As one person told us: “Staff don’t believe you are an expert on your own health.”
This highlights a deeper issue because patients are experts in their own lives. The NHS Constitution for England outlines the rights of every patient: to be treated with dignity; to receive care that meets individual needs and preferences; and to be involved in decisions about their treatment. Empowering people living with chronic conditions to be partners in their care, not passive recipients of it, can lead to improved outcomes in health, wellbeing and across all aspects of life.
