Case management to be used for people with chronic conditions

A substantial overhaul of the care of patients with chronic diseases based on case management, coordinated by a new type of health professional—the community matron—was announced by the UK government last week.

John Reid, the health secretary, announced that the new system will provide a more structured approach to the provision of care by health and social services to people with chronic conditions, including diabetes, asthma, and arthritis in England and Wales. NHS and social care organisations will be expected to introduce case management from 2005 for vulnerable people with complex long term conditions. The aim is to treat patients sooner, nearer to home, and earlier in the course of their disease to improve their quality of life, reduce emergency hospital admissions, and, in some cases, prevent premature death. The target is to reduce inpatient emergency bed days by 5% by March 2008 using 2003-4 …