Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiac Rehabilitation and cardiac lifestyle modification programmes help people at risk of cardiovascular disease or recovering from a cardiac event make lifestyle changes that will reduce their risk of future illness.

Information, advice, support and counselling is provided from a wide range of professional staff on lifestyle changes, diet, exercise, smoking, weight control, symptom recognition, weight control, smoking and stress management.

By 2016, the NHS must meet the Standards set out in the Cardiac Disease National Service Framework (NSF) and deliver the new commitments to the Welsh population contained in the Together for Health – a Heart Disease Delivery Plan. Following this The Delivery Framework 2013/14 and Future Plans was published to provide clarity and sets out the processes which will be in place to monitor progress and provide support and intervention in 2013/14.

Cardiac Networks across Wales

South Wales Cardiac Network was formed in 2011 by the merger of the former regional Cardiac Networks in Mid & South West and South East Wales.

South Wales Cardiac Network works in partnership with a variety of all Wales bodies including the six Health Boards across South Wales, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, Community Health Councils, Third Sector Organisations, Public Health Wales, the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC) and Welsh Government.

The network aims to facilitate the coordination of the planning, organisation and delivery of cardiac services across South Wales.

The Network also hosts a Welsh Primary Care Cardiovascular Conference. The most recent conference took place on 22 May 2013 at Liberty Stadium, Swansea. During the day a wide selection of topics around cardiovascular care were presented including diet and exercise, smoking cessation, the latest NICE guidance on monitoring and heart failure in primary care.
Details of the presentations can be accessed here

The North Wales Cardiac Network is situated within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and covers Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd and Wrexham and serves a population of approximately 750,000 people. The Network’s broader remit extends across Wales, with formal links to the Welsh Government and South Wales Cardiac Network, together with fostering collaborative work with English providers (hospitals) and the North West of England Cardiac Networks. Similarly to the South Wales Network they also work with all Wales bodies, including the Welsh Cardiovascular Society, as well as national charities and patient groups.

Cardiac Cooking Companion

A bilingual Cardiac Cooking Companion has been produced by North East Wales NHS Trust to promote foods with known cardio protective benefits. The idea for the recipe book originated from users of the cardiac rehabilitation service. Evaluation of patient needs for extra resources overwhelmingly demonstrated the need for heart healthy recipe provision from a trusted source. Local Heart Support and Voluntary Groups consulted on and contributed to the resource.

There are over 80 recipes available and almost all the recipes are suitable for persons with diabetes and easy to follow nutrition symbols are provided. The recipe book took 18 months to develop as all recipes were tested before publication. The recipe book is designed to be continually updated and users are invited to contribute to future additions.

To download the recipe book click on Cardiac Cooking Companion . For more information email Paul Greene .

Heart Support Groups

Heart support groups give people with heart conditions and their partners and family the chance to meet and talk to people who have gone through similar experiences and provide a variety of activities. There are nearly 300 British Heart Foundation (BHF) affiliated heart support groups across England and Wales.
The BHF explain that a heart support group can

Offer emotional support to those who have experienced a heart problem, and they offer an opportunity for members to share a common or difficult experience in their lives
Maintain ongoing rehabilitation and secondary prevention, keeping members up-to-date with healthy lifestyle tips and providing opportunities for exercise
Offer valuable support to partners, carers and family members
Direct people to services that are already established, and are of value to heart patients, such as stop smoking clinics, healthy eating demonstrations and stress management courses
Complement the services already offered by health professionals. A heart support group does not set out to replace any existing services, but is another way to access a kind of help that is unavailable elsewhere.

For more information visit the BHF website.

Pontypool Pacers

Pontypool Pacers Heart Support Club has received a grant from The Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust Fund.

Pontypool Pacers Heart Support Club was established thirteen years ago as part of the strategy to develop a comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation service in Torfaen. The strategy aimed to support people from the time they became ill, until optimum health was achieved. Starting with 13 members and one class per week, the membership has now grown considerably to 150 with nine classes each week dedicated to patients who have completed their hospital-based programme of rehabilitation.

The grant of £1650 from The Millennium Stadium Charitable Trust Fund will help cover the costs of classes and exercise sessions. The classes offer a forum for mutual support, essential education for long term health and wellbeing, and suitable exercise programmes to suit all levels of fitness. Coming together with a common problem, enables the doubts, fears and anxieties that can come with experience to be shared. Pontypool Pacers meet on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at “The Settlement” Community Education Centre, Trosnant Street, Pontypool, Torfaen.

For more information contact the Secretary Gethin Jones on telephone number 01495 773 681 or email [email protected].