Yesterday, the HSE launched “Living Well with a Chronic Condition”,
the National Framework and Implementation plan for Self-management Support for Chronic Conditions: COPD, Asthma, Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease. The document is now available on the HSE website at hse.ie/self-management
Background
Every day people with long-term conditions, their families and carers, make decisions and take actions to manage the factors that contribute to their health. Self-management support acknowledges this and supports people to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills they need to make the optimal decisions and take the best actions for their health. Evidence of positive outcomes highlights the benefits of supporting people to manage their health conditions as effectively as possible. These benefits are felt by people with long-term conditions themselves, and also by healthcare professionals and the health services.
Purpose
The Framework provides an overview of the rationale for self-management support and provides recommendations for self-management support for these four major disease areas, along with a plan for implementation. The development of the Framework was informed by Irish and international evidence, including a health technology assessment conducted by the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), it was guided by a national advisory group, and refined through extensive consultation.
The Self-management support Framework is a key action of Healthy Ireland in the Health Services, the Healthy Ireland Implementation plan. It is a work stream of the Integrated Care Programme for the Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease. It is an important element of person-centred care, a key domain of quality in Irish healthcare.
It is closely linked with other programmes arising from Healthy Ireland including Making Every Contact Count programme for health behaviour change; and the National Policy Priority Programmes: Alcohol; Tobacco Free Ireland; Healthy Eating and Active Living; Positive Ageing; Wellbeing and Mental Health; and Healthy Childhood.
Self-management support also aligns with the HSE goal of promoting health and wellbeing as part of everything we do so that people will be healthier.