SHOCKING new results have revealed tens of thousands of North Somerset residents are struggling to cope with long-term health conditions.

A new study has revealed illnesses such as diabetes and dementia affect the daily lives of almost 17 per cent of the North Somerset parliamentary constituency’s residents - a figure which amounts to more than 16,000 people.

The North Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) spends approximately £7million annually treating people with long-term conditions. The CCG also pledged in its two-year operational plan, published in 2014, to adopt a ‘targeted approach’ to reducing unscheduled care admissions and emergency department visits through the ‘proactive management of known patients’ – including those with long-term health issues.

However, it is hoped that the development of a care initiative across North Somerset will help to improve patient treatment. The NHS personal health budget scheme, rolled out in 2012, was expanded on April 1 to help more people in North Somerset manage these conditions.

Julia Counsell is a project manager at Partner2Care, an independent advisory service for people in North Somerset with a personal health budget.

She said: “Personal health budgets will really get patients involved in their care. The aim is to provide a personalised health care plan, so a patient’s needs can be identified.

“Budgets really depend on the person’s needs. For example, they can offer things like having a personal care assistant rather than an agency staff member coming to visit you. This means a patient has choice over who comes into their house and can build a rapport with them.

“It is all about what a patient wants and needs to manage their care.”

The NHS spends £75billion a year treating long-term conditions - accounting for £7 out of every £10 spent by the health service.