Welcome to the Cardiac Rehabilitation Service

Welcome to the Cardiac Rehabilitation Service

Telephone no: 01905 733710 (direct line) – Worcestershire Royal Hospital

01527 503882 (direct line) – Alexandra Hospital Redditch

Welcome to the Cardiac Rehab Service

Don’t worry if we haven’t had chance to introduce ourselves- Please ensure the staff have a contact number for you and we will ring you within 10 working days of your discharge.

It is normal to feel tired following your hospital stay. This can be due to lack of sleep, thinking about what happened or getting used to new medication. It is important you continue to take your medication, if you get any side effects, please let your cardiac rehabilitation team know.

Exercise is an important part of your recovery, and classes are provided by the cardiac rehabilitation team. This is endorsed by your cardiologist and has fantastic benefit to you both mentally and physically.

We recommend that you look on-line at the British Heart Foundation website (https://www.bhf.org.uk) which gives you information about recovering following a diagnosis of heart disease (Acute coronary syndrome)/heart failure or having had heart surgery.

When you are first home, rest for the first day or two and potter around your home, its important you start walking, if you feel able to; start with a walk that feels easy for you and gradually increase the distance/time. Your body should feel warm, be slightly out of breath, but able to hold a conversation. We will advise you how to progress when we call you.

We will also ask you for recovery GOALS. These should be achievable and realistic.

There can be a psychological impact of having a cardiac diagnosis. People sometimes worry about the future and about their loved ones. The cardiac rehabilitation will ask you how you are feeling and support you.

Life-style changes are important:

• Please stop smoking. It will be the best thing you can do for your health. Help is available.
• Try not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol over a week. We will discuss this with you.
• If you have raised blood pressure- we will address this with you.
• If you have raised cholesterol- we will assess and address this with you.
• If you have diabetes, blood sugar control is important.
• If you have a raised BMI, then we can discuss ways to reduce this.
• Eating a varied healthy diet with portion control is important, (low sugar, low fat, reduce salt) increasing fibre and protein intake.

Driving following a Heart Attack or Heart condition:

There are driving restrictions after a cardiac event, which we can advise you on. Please discuss with the nurse or Cardiologist prior to discharge. (Class II drivers will need to inform the DVLA and have further tests).

If your symptoms or condition worsens, or if you are concerned about anything, please call your GP, 111, or 999.

Patient Experience

We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you. 

Feedback

Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:

Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: [email protected]

Opening times:

The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.  

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