Self-management of long-term conditions: a district nursing perspective of patient engagement

Abstract

The UK has a growing ageing population with increased prevalence of long-term conditions. It has the potential to overwhelm the country's healthcare system. The COVID-19 pandemic and its risk of transmission provided an opportunity for people with long-term conditions to focus on self-care and for district nurses to promote self-management. Self-management strategies, such as digital technology, motivational interviewing, social prescribing and shared decision-making can assist them in planning a whole-population approach towards managing physical and mental wellbeing. For this to become a reality, investment is needed to educate the patients, their carers, district nurses, multidisciplinary teams and to ensure the sustainability of self-care methods for future practice.