Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation
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What is Cardiac Rehab?
Cardiac Rehab is an 8-week programme involving exercise, risk factor modification, relaxation and educational talks aimed at patients following a cardiac event.
What programmes do we offer?
St George’s University Hospital offers a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation programme using a flexible, menu-based approach to suit individual patient needs. The programme includes three delivery options:
- Face-to-Face Programme: This option involves in-person sessions at the hospital, providing direct interaction with healthcare professionals for exercise, education, and support.
- Remote Home Programme: Patients can participate in a fully remote rehabilitation plan, with virtual support, tailored exercise routines, and educational materials delivered through digital platforms, allowing them to manage their recovery from home.
- Hybrid Programme: A combination of both face-to-face and remote elements, this flexible approach provides patients with the benefits of in-person care for certain sessions, while also enabling them to follow up with remote sessions at their convenience.
This menu-based approach ensures that each patient can select the most appropriate form of rehab for their lifestyle and recovery needs, ensuring accessibility, convenience, and personalised care.
What can I expect from the programme?
Sessions last for approximately 2 and a half hours. Each week, you will be assessed individually by a member of our specialist nursing team, who will measure your blood pressure and heart rate and discuss any concerns you may have.
You will partake in a warm up, a 10 station circuit comprising of a range of cardiovascular and resistance exercises and then a cool down, followed by a relaxation session.
This will be followed by an educational talk given by one of multidisciplinary team members. A different topic is covered each week including:
- How the heart works and different treatments for heart diseases
- Cardiovascular risk factors
- Healthy eating for the heart (by a dietitian)
- Medicines for the heart (by a pharmacist)
- Exercise for the heart (by Exercise Specialist)
- Stress and the heart (by well-being staff)
You will also have the opportunity to ask our specialists any questions you may have.
When/where does it run?
- Monday 2:00 to 4:30pm –Bader Gym, Lower Ground Floor, Queen Mary’s Hospital
- Wednesday 10:30 am to 13:00 pm – Cardiac Rehab Gym, St George’s Hospital
- Thursday 10:30 am to 13:00 pm – Cardiac Rehab Gym, St George’s Hospital and 12.15 pm to 15:00 pm – Cardiac Rehab Gym, St George’s Hospital
How do I join?
You will be contacted by a member of our team within 5 working days of your discharge from hospital or our receipt of your referral.
If you do not receive a telephone call or appointment letter, please contact us on 020 8725 1396. Alternatively, contact your GP who will be able to refer you.
Information for GP’s
Who is suitable for Cardiac Rehab?
How to refer
The easiest way to refer is by email via the details under “Contact”. Ensure you include all patient details: full name, NHS no, date of birth and a brief medical history including current medications and the indication for Cardiac Rehab.
We also require the following information in order to proceed with the referral – recent discharge summary and or clinic letter, angiogram report, echo report, blood test report (including most recent renal, liver, lipid and HbA1c results).
Meet the team
- Dr Mahtab Sharifi – Clinical Supervisor/Consultant Chemical Pathologist
- Christian Dayaday – Lead Nurse Specialist, Cardiac Rehabilitation Department
- Caroline Sutherland – Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse Specialist
- Manuella Loureiro – Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse Specialist
- Barbara Arienzo – Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse Specialist
- Kelvin Scammell – Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Specialist
- Praveen Shanthakumar – Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Specialist
- Kate McGrail – Cardiac Rehabilitation Administrative Assistant
Contact
Office hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
Telephone: 020 8725 1396 or 020 8725 4403
Email: Cardiac.RehabTeam@stgeorges.nhs.uk