Cardiac Prevention and Rehabilitation
On this page:
Information for patients
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.
The Rehabilitation Enablement in Chronic Heart Failure (REACH-HF) programme was launched at the beginning of 2024. This is a 12-week facilitated home-based rehabilitation programme supporting self-care in patients with heart failure, with the support of healthcare professionals and family members or caregiver.
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
- Stress and the heart
You will also have the opportunity to ask our specialists any questions you may have.
When/where does it run?
- Monday 2 to 4.30pm – Bader Gym, Lower Ground Floor, Queen Mary’s Hospital
- Wednesday 10.30am to 1pm – Cardiac Rehab Gym, St George’s Hospital
- Thursday 10.30am to 1pm – Cardiac Rehab Gym, St George’s Hospital and 12.30 to 3pm – Cardiac Rehab Gym, St George’s Hospital
How do I join?
If your GP is registered in Wandsworth Borough, you will be contacted by a member of our team within 5 working days of your discharge from the hospital or our receipt of your referral. Otherwise, you will be referred to your local cardiac rehabilitation service accordingly (GP registered outside Wandsworth).
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
- Monique Jabines – Cardiac Rehabilitation REACH-HF Nurse
- Kelvin Scammell – Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Specialist
- Praveen Shanthakumar – Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Specialist
- Ali Hijazie – 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
