bedtime reading: generic choice models for long term conditions

People with kidney disease expect and want greater control over their care and more personalised services. They want control of the things that matter most to them – what treatment and what care they receive, who provides it and where. I think most of us would agree with that statement and would also agree that the “choice agenda” is often framed around elective care – choice of hospital for outpatient visit or choice of hospital for orthopaedic procedure. The situation is much more complex in long term conditions and this short report helps to illustrate how a collaborative approach to care planning between healthcare professionals and the patients can identify a range of options tailored to suit the individual. The document is aimed at commissioners as much as providers and emphasises the central role commissioning has in improving the quality of services for patients.