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Rehabilitation
Introduction
People living with heart disease can benefit enormously from cardiac rehabilitation programmes. They aid recovery after heart attack or surgery and can restore many aspects of normal life.
Action
Last autumn the BHF received a grant from the Big Lottery Fund to provide 36 more cardiac rehabilitation programmes, taking the total number of such programmes across the UK to over 400. These classes rebuild patients' confidence and guide them in improving their heart health.
The BHF is working to co-ordinate and support professional development and auditing of cardiac rehabilitation, working in partnership with the NHS to help raise cardiac rehabilitation standards across the country.
Impact
Research has shown that cardiac rehabilitation - which includes education, psychological support and exercise training - can cut the risk of a further heart attack by 29%.
We strive to provide cardiac rehabilitation to those most at need, such as ethnic communities facing an increased risk of coronary heart disease. We have seen a huge increase in attendance at BHF funded rehabilitation programmes for South Asian heart patients in Leicester.
The BHF is funding projects in London, Wales and Scotland to set up physical activity clinics in GP surgeries, train practice staff and establish patient support networks.
In January 2005 we launched a cardiac rehabilitation newsletter for health professionals called Cardiac Rehab UK.
Next steps
This year we will establish all the cardiac rehabilitation programmes covered by our award from the Big Lottery Fund. To do so we need to establish a consistent framework, set up workshops and provide new educational materials.