The NSF In Depth

National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions

The National Service Framework for Long Term Conditions (NSF LTC) was published in March 2005 with a 10-year implementation period.  It sets eleven quality requirements to improve treatment, care and support from diagnosis to the end of life for people with neurological conditions.  It underlines the need for appropriate, integrated services planned and delivered around individual needs, and to support people to live independently with good quality of life

The NSF LTC has a particular focus on the needs of people with neurological conditions and brain or spinal injuries but also addresses some of the generic issues of relevance to a wide range of people with long term conditions and disabilities

As TVDNY and NNA collaborate to work together to improve the quality of life of all those in the North East and North Cumbria living with a neurological condition, the implementation of NSF LTC is of high importance to both organisations.  To that end, members of TVDNY and NNA have made representations to a number of health and oversight scrutiny committees / regional Strategic Health Authorities within their territory to ensure that the implementation remains high on people's agendas

The eleven Quality requirements are as follows:

Quality requirement 1: A person-centred service
People with long term conditions are offered integrated assessment and planning of their health and social care needs.  They are to have the information they need to make informed decisions about their care and treatment and, where appropriate, to support them to manage their condition themselves

Quality requirement 2: Early recognition, prompt diagnosis and treatment
People suspected of having a neurological condition are to have prompt access to specialist neurological expertise for an accurate diagnosis and treatment as close to home as possible

Quality requirement 3: Emergency and acute management
People needing hospital admission for a neurosurgical or neurological emergency are to be assessed and treated in a timely manner by teams with the appropriate neurological and resuscitation skills and facilities

Quality requirement 4: Early and specialist rehabilitation
People with long term neurological conditions who would benefit from rehabilitation are to receive timely, ongoing, high quality rehabilitation services in hospital or other specialist setting to meet their continuing and changing needs.  When ready, they are to receive the help they need to return home for ongoing community rehabilitation and support

Quality requirement 5: Community rehabilitation and support
People with long term neurological conditions living at home are to have ongoing access to a comprehensive range of rehabilitation, advice and support to meet their continuing and changing needs, increase their independence and autonomy and help them to live as they wish

Quality requirement 6: Vocational rehabilitation
People with long term neurological conditions are to have access to appropriate vocational assessment, rehabilitation and ongoing support to enable them to find, regain or remain in work and access other occupational and educational opportunities

Quality requirement 7: Providing equipment and accommodation
People with long term neurological conditions are to receive timely, appropriately assistive technology / equipment and adaptations to accommodation to support them to live independently; help them with their care; maintain their health and improve their quality of life

Quality requirement 8: Providing personal care and support
Health and social care services work together to provide care and support to enable people with long term neurological conditions to achieve maximum choice about living independently at home

Quality requirement 9: Palliative Care
People in the later stages of long term neurological conditions are to receive a comprehensive range of palliative care services when they need them to control symptoms; offer pain relief and meet their needs for personal, social, psychological and spiritual support, in line with the principles of palliative care

Quality requirement 10: Supporting family and carers
Carers of people with long term neurological conditions are to have access to appropriate support and services that recognise their needs both in their role as carer and in their own right

Quality requirement 11: Caring for people with neurological conditions in hospital or other health and social care settings
People with long term neurological conditions are to have their specific neurological needs met while receiving care for other reasons in any health or social care setting.

For further information on the NSF LTC please see:

The National Service Framework For Long Term Neurological Conditions: National Support for Local Implementation (PDF:29KB)