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Cardiothoracic Services

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Cardiac Rehabilitation

Cardiac Rehabilitation provides evidence-based, patient-centred care to optimise the health and wellbeing of patients and enhance their quality of life.

Our team of Specialist Nurse Practitioners and Exercise Physiologists works closely with other healthcare professionals at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme consists of an individual assessment of cardiac risk factors, the opportunity to set personalised goals, an eight week supervised exercise programme and information sessions.

Patients who have had a heart attack or bypass surgery are referred to the Cardiac Rehabilitation team and either seen in hospital or contacted at home after discharge.

We see patients who live in Oxfordshire who have had:

  • a heart attack
  • bypass surgery
  • heart failure.

Patients who have had an angioplasty or PCI, but not had a heart attack, can self-refer by calling 01865 220251.

In hospital

We aim to see all patients who live in Oxfordshire who have had a heart attack or bypass surgery while they are in hospital: if this is not possible, we will call them at home.

The Cardiac Rehabilitation nurse will discuss their diagnosis and offer advice about activities, driving and exercise after they leave hospital.

We will also talk about any lifestyle changes that should be considered to reduce the risk of further complications.

We give them a patient information booklet:

Cardiac Rehabilitation with planner - Information Booklet and Personal Plan (pdf)

At home

We will contact patients by telephone after they leave hospital, and offer them an appointment to discuss their ongoing recovery.

Clinic appointment

At their appointment patients will usually meet a specialist Nurse Practitioner and an Exercise Physiologist.

Patients will have an opportunity discuss their diagnosis, condition and any procedures, as well as their medication and lifestyle changes.

Goals can be set with the aim of aiding their recovery and reducing any further complications.

At this appointment information will be provided regarding the supervised exercise programme.

Exercise programme

Supervised exercise sessions take place at four sites:

Sessions take place weekly for up to eight weeks and are individually tailored to patients' needs and personal preferences.

Education

We run a six-week virtual education programme. Each session lasts about an hour. All you need to join is access to the internet and an email address.

Dates of upcoming education sessions are available from the Cardiac Rehabilitation Team.

Topics

  • Cardiac risk factors
  • Medicines for your heart
  • Healthy eating and Mediterranean style diet
  • Food labelling and food choices
  • Exercise
  • Thoughts, feelings and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Heart Failure programme

Patients can be referred to the Cardiac Rehabilitation team by their Community Heart Failure Nurse, GP or Consultant.

Once a referral has been received, patients will be contacted to arrange an initial appointment.

Following assessment patients will be booked into an appropriate supervised exercise programme.

Contact us

Catherine Fitzgerald
Cardiac Rehabilitation Manager

John Radcliffe Hospital

Jeni Lodyga
Administrator

Email: CardiacRehabJR@ouh.nhs.uk
Tel: 01865 220251

Horton General Hospital

Ann McClymont
Administrator

Email: CardiacRehabHH@ouh.nhs.uk
Tel: 01295 229426

Last reviewed:23 September 2024