Care Resources

Long-term conditions affect millions across the UK, yet the care people receive remains uneven (Future Health, 2023). Health outcomes continue to be shaped by housing, income, environment, identity, and access to services – factors that create stark inequalities in who receives timely, appropriate, and high quality care (GOV.UK, 2025). As the need for coordinated, evidencebased, person-centred approaches becomes increasingly urgent, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is launching a landmark event designed to accelerate progress: the RCN Long-Term Conditions Conference 2026, taking place on 17 June at Sheffield Hallam University.

The author’s trust, Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, has a dynamic methodology around quality and service improvement called ‘Making Stuff Better’. It is a simple phrase, but holds some meaningful principles which the staff aim to follow. 
The first is that everyone can make stuff better at work — we can all have ideas that can result in a positive difference. The second is promoting a culture of service improvement, where this approach can just happen and flourish.