Success as first community sessions held for Heart Failure Cardiac Rehabilitation group

Essential heart failure cardiac rehabilitation sessions have been held successfully in the community from the first time by the George Eliot Hospital Heart Failure team.

The service held their first session at Arley Leisure Centre in Arley, with patients giving expert personal advice and support on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle through exercise.

The aim of the project is to bring services closer to patients in North Warwickshire, taking people out of hospitals to well-equipped community-based facilities to help inspire them to continue after their support ends.

Emma West-Eggar, Heart Failure Service Nurse Lead and Advanced Clinical Practitioner, said: “Getting people out of hospitals and into the community can be vital to helping with long term health outcomes.

“All the patient we will see through the service have had serious, life limiting heart issues, being able to provide this dedicated support can have a hugely positive impact on their future.

“Being in these excellent facilities makes it easier for patients to access, away from a hospital, where they don’t have to worry about issues like parking or traffic.

“We look forward to embedding this initiative in our community as part an initial 12-month trial and seeing a positive impact to improve heart health across the region.”

Heart failure is a significant issue in the area with an estimated 14,000 people living with heart and circulatory diseases in Nuneaton and Bedworth and around 1,400 diagnosed with heart failure by their GP.

The project has been made possible by funding for 12 months from NHS England for a Heart Failure CNS and an Exercise Physiologist to provide dedicated heart failure exercise classes.

The mobile service is part of a wider project to bring Heart Failure services closer to the community including introducing a new community service with brand new community clinics at Hartshill Clinic. The service has excellent response from patients already.

Michael Carvell (65) from Bedworth was diagnosed with severe Cardiomyopathy in 2014, alongside other health issues including sleep apnoea and arthritis and has received care from the team for the past two years.

He said of his experience: “It is convenient to come here, it’s only a short trip from my home and it means I don’t have to go to hospital again.

“Getting this expert one to one advice is really great as they can adapt support to my other issues and give guidance and a chance to talk things too.”

Sarbjit Minhas (67) from Bulkington, had a stent fitted in November and a pacemaker in September as part of his care and toll part in the first session: “Before my treatment I couldn’t do any activity with being in pain and feeling tired. Getting this care has been a big part of my recovery and is giving me a more positive outlook.

“I really enjoy getting this personal support and feel improvement already.”