Lincolnshire Community Services NHS Trust Cardiac Rehabilitation Service offers personalised and individual information to support patient recovery across all aspects of heart health.
Cardiac Rehabilitation supports cardiovascular disease prevention and heart health by empowering and supporting people to live healthier lives. This is done through providing patients and their family with the relevant information, support and advice needed to return to everyday life. Research has shown that participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation reduces your risk of having another heart event, reduces readmission to hospital and has a positive impact on your physical and mental wellbeing.
Cardiac Rehabilitation is a vital part of your long-term recovery and is an important part of your treatment. It is available to patients who have had a heart attack (myocardial infarction), coronary stent insertion, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), heart valve surgery, heart failure, heart transplant or an implantable cardiac device (ICD).
Their team consists of Specialist nurses, Physiotherapists, Exercise specialists, Assistant Practitioners, Assistants and Administrator roles. They work together to ensure you receive a holistic approach. Their aim is to enable you to achieve a healthier lifestyle reducing potential risk factors that may cause further problems and to encourage a more active lifestyle.
Cardiac rehab looks at the whole individual and can help with cardiac issues but also provide lifestyle support including weight management, smoking, diet and exercise. Additionally, we can help signpost to relevant psychological services and other suitable support.
It provides regular contact through both virtual methods and face to face sessions to allow reassurance and regular questions.
It can help provide a support network through attending face to face exercise classes where you will be group with between 6-10 people going through similar experiences to you and allow for open conversations in a natural environment. These are also attended by volunteers who have already gone through the service and allows them to share their knowledge and experience of what life can look like after a cardiac event.
“Cardiac rehabilitation gave me confidence to do more without panicking. Massive amounts of reassurance that I was never on my own. Your support was amazing and made me who I am 14 months on. Now I can help to return the compliment and help other people. Thank you to Cardiac Rehabilitation. I would be nothing without your help”
Volunteer Mo, who has been through the service and is now volunteering at the Bourne programme.
“Cardiac rehab is about bridging the gap between the hospital and returning to everyday life, through providing reassurance and advise during some of the hardest times of people’s lives. It helps to provide a support network whereby people can learn to put trust in their body’s again and realise that with time they can still achieve their goals once again”.
Lorna McKinlay, cardiology exercise practitioner.
Most cardiac patients will be offered cardiac rehab when they are in the hospital receiving care. If they choose to accept, then they will be directly referred over. However, you can also self-refer into the service for up to 6 months post event or treatment. To do this, a patient or family member can call (01522 449 900) or email (LHNT.CardiacRehab@nhs.net) saying they would like cardiac rehab and they have heard about it or would like exercise support.
Phase 3 classes run for 6 weeks and are currently available in Bourne, Lincoln, Louth, Boston, Skegness, and virtually.
Credit: This information was provided by the Lincolnshire Community Services NHS Trust Cardiac Rehabilitation Service
