Long Term Conditions Alliance
Supporting and signing a pledge to improve support, information and services
for people with long term conditions, Cathy Peattie said:
"One person in three has some form of long-term condition, such as
epilepsy, diabetes and asthma. As Convener of the Cross Party Group on
Asthma, which affects 390,000 people in Scotland, including one in nine
children, I am well aware of the problems that affect those with long-term
conditions. Although there is a wide variety of causes, symptoms and outcomes
involved, they have problems in common. There is, for example, often a
lack of recognition of what can be done to improve quality of life and
to make the condition more manageable."
The pledge, which was available to sign as part of an exhibition in the
Scottish Parliament, stated
"I support LTCAS' vision for a Scotland where people living with
long term conditions enjoy, not endure, full and positive lives, free
from discrimination and supported by high quality services, support and
information. I agree to: Recognise the significance of the challenge of
long term conditions and work to improve the lives of the estimated 2
million people living with long term conditions in Scotland; Support increased
resources for self management so that people have access to the information,
education and support they need to successfully manage, and live well
with, their condition(s); Support measures to improve transitions between
services, for example child to adult, adult to older person, hospital
to home."
Chair of Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland (LTCAS), Audrey Birt
said:
"We are delighted that Cathy Peattie has signed our pledge. Over
a third of the Scottish population live with at least one long term condition
and the Scottish Parliament can do a great deal to improve the kind of
support and services people receive.”
LTCAS is made up of over 60 charities that help people with conditions
such as asthma, epilepsy, M.E., skin conditions, mental health problems,
diabetes, heart disease, cystic fibrosis and cancer.
For more information on LTCAS or long term conditions visit http://www.ltcas.org.uk
(December 2007)
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