The multiple conditions guidebook

In brief

The challenge of multiple long-term conditions is significant and complex. With many organisations focusing on one condition, we commissioned a report to explore what evidence already exists on how to support people with multiple long-term conditions. This report includes lessons from others and practical tools for practitioners across sectors.

Executive summary

The Taskforce on Multiple Conditions knows that there are many dedicated and innovative healthcare professionals, commissioners and academics already working alongside charities, social enterprises, public bodies and others in our communities to improve the lives of people living with multiple health conditions. But during its first year it found it surprisingly difficult to find out exactly what people were doing, where, how and why.

Believing that others might face similar difficulties, the Taskforce commissioned a targeted review of practical approaches that work for people with multiple conditions. In this guidebook ten case studies detail how things are done in practice, the lessons learned along the way and challenges that have been overcome.

The primary audience for this publication is local practitioners, professionals and commissioners – in our NHS, public services, care sector, charities, social enterprises and other community services – who are working with people with multiple conditions to put solutions in place so they can live as well as possible for as long as possible. The wider background, learning and reflections that have emerged during the review may be of interest to policy professionals, national bodies and others.

In 2020, we followed up with the case studies of this report. Find out how their lives changed during COVID-19, one year on.