Skip to content

Launch of Reading Well for long term conditions

Today we’re launching Reading Well for long term conditions, our new scheme providing information and support for people living with a long term health condition and their carers. The booklist covers general advice and information about living with a long term condition, common symptoms and titles focused on specific conditions such as arthritis, bowel conditions, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

The need

Over 26 million people in England report to have at least one long term condition and on average they will spend just four hours a year with a health professional and 8,756 hours self-managing. There is enormous need for quality assured health information and advice supporting people to understand and manage the physical and mental symptoms of living with a long term condition.

Co-production

We worked with a co-production group from the Coalition for Collaborative Care to involve people with lived experience of long term conditions in the selection of the books. Katie Clarke-Day, a member of the co-production group, described the value of the scheme:

“The scheme will give people living with, or caring for someone living with various long term conditions the knowledge and skills that they need to have confidence in managing their condition. Having this information easily accessible will help people to navigate the at times overwhelming world of long term conditions and the impact this has on people’s lives.”

The booklist

We developed the new book list of 28 titles contains health information, self-help and memoir with expert partners to offer guidance and factual support to those living with illness and their carers.

View the full list of titles.

Partnerships

Reading Well is run as a partnership from The Reading Agency and the Society of Chief Librarians, with funding from Arts Council England and Wellcome.

The new scheme is supported by a range of health organisations including Public Health England, The Royal College of General Practitioners and the National Association of Primary Care.

Get involved

Back to news

Urgent help