Cardiac rehabilitation is postcode lottery
05/12/2007
Heart patients, doctors, nurses and supporters have staged a protest at the Houses of Parliament, demanding improved access to cardiac rehabilitation - an inexpensive treatment proven to save lives. It was the first political protest staged by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) in almost 50 years.
The protest arose after a BHF audit earlier this year revealed the 60% of those who needed cardiac rehabilitation did not have access to it because of where they lived - despite the fact that it offers patients a 26% greater chance of surviving in the five years following the diagnosis of heart conditions.
The protestors marched with placards and wore over-sized £600 sales tags around their necks - which is how much it costs to give a patient the minimum level of cardiac rehabilitation in the UK.
BHF Director of Prevention and Care Dr Mike Knapton said: “Cardiac rehab is a service which is crying out for a champion. This vital, life-saving treatment is severely under-estimated by the medical community and key decision makers - which is reflected in its obvious lack of funding. If it were a pill it would have been on the NHS years ago. We want the Government and the NHS to immediately prioritise money to fund cardiac rehab and address the inequalities across the UK. ”
There are now almost 2.6 million people in the UK living with coronary heart disease. Cardiac rehabilitation involves getting patients on the road to recovery by consulting with nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, psychologists and occupational therapists who offer advice and support for patients and their families. It teaches individuals about their conditions so they can better manage and adapt to their sometimes unexpected and frightening diagnosis.
Fifty-nine year old heart patient Mike Smith had his first heart attack 15 years ago. However, after his second heart attack in 2006, he was one of the lucky patients who received quality rehab - which he believes has helped to save his life. He said: “In a fifteen month period, I have had two heart attacks, a heart by-pass operation and an abdominal aortic aneurysm, as well as a burst stomach ulcer. In short about every ten weeks I have had some kind of life threatening event.
“It’s been a rough ride but I’ve come through it all. One of the main factors in my recovery was the continued support of my cardiac rehab nursing team. They stuck by me the whole way - right from when they convinced me to give up smoking.
“My team talked to me at my level, demystifying the over-whelming medical jargon. They treat me as a whole person offering me both physical and mental support. I believe this is why I have been able to overcome the immense hurdles I’ve faced and can now look forward to a better, healthier future.”
The National Campaign for Cardiac Rehabilitation by the BHF is calling for:
▪ Every heart patient who is suitable and wishes to take part to be offered a rehabilitation programme
▪ Patients to be offered alternative methods, such as home-based rehabilitation, if they prefer not to take part in a group programme or attend hospital as an outpatient
▪ Efforts to be made to ensure that rehabilitation programmes meet the needs of under-represented groups, particularly ethnic minorities and women
▪ Each programme to meet the minimum standards set out by the British Association for Cardiac Rehabilitation
▪ Standards to be monitored through the National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation.
For more information visit the website linked below.