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Heart hotline for speedier recovery
QUICKER ACCESS ... exercise referral co-ordinator David Redhead and technical instructor Joanne Bruce are part of the cardiac rehabilitation team at South Tyneside District Hospital.
HEART attack victims in the borough now have a hotline to call for quicker appointments to get them back on their feet.
Patients at South Tyneside District Hospital in South Shields will be give faster access cardiac rehabilitation sessions to reduce the risk of further problems.
People who have had a heart attack will now be contacted by telephone by a nurse from the Harton Lane site within 72 hours of being discharged.
Chris Bailey, cardiac nurse specialist with South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, said: “By offering access to cardiac rehabilitation more quickly, we have seen a greater uptake and that is good news as cardiac rehabilitation is very effective in preventing readmission to hospital.
Education
“We empower patients through education about their future health, as well as aiding their physical and psychological recovery.”
After the call, patients are then given an echocardiogram – a test in which ultrasound is used to examine the heart.
Depending on the result, they are then offered an appointment for cardiac rehabilitation, on average, within two weeks.
Previously, the appointment waiting time was about four weeks.
Mr Bailey added: “We start them exercising, and once they have finished with us, they continue this in a community setting.
“The feedback we have had from patients so far has been very positive.
“They say they have found the follow-up for their heart attack, as well as the treatment, very speedy.”
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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