Cardiac Rehabilitation

If a patient has had a heart attack or heart surgery, the Northern Trust offers cardiac rehabilitation.

Cardiac rehabilitation is a programme of exercise and information sessions that help patients get back to everyday life as quickly as possible.

This specialist nurse service is provided to clients following a myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, percutaneous coronary intervention +/- stent insertion or valve surgery. The team is made up of cardiac rehabilitation coordinators, rehab nurses and nursing support assistants.

Referrals are accepted via inreach to the cardiology wards in Antrim and Causeway Hospitals, other hospital cardiac rehabilitation teams, GPs and through self-referral.

It aims to integrate services between the hospital and community by providing a seamless service for patients to enhance recovery following cardiac events. It also encourages patients by addressing issues which could potentially prevent future heart disease problems; this is beneficial in preventing unnecessary hospital admissions, GP consultations, reducing death rates and improving quality of life.

The client is met in the hospital by the nurse specialist. The nurse will carry out a holistic assessment of the patient whilst in hospital, providing support and education to both patients and their families about their condition. The assessment will identify risk factors for cardiac disease and goals will be set for the patient.

Patients will be followed up with a telephone call on discharge by the nursing team and an appointment will be issued within 1-2 weeks of discharge.

A subsequent invitation to join the 7-week education and exercise programme is offered.

For those patients unable to participate in the class based programme, they will be given the opportunity to have a home-based programme. This is in the form of a Heart Manual, giving step by step guide to managing their condition at home. The nursing teams work very closely with local leisure centers and encourage patients to sign up for participation with their local centre once the program is completed.

We aim to deliver our service in a friendly, informative and non-judgemental way, placing our patient at the centre of all that we do.

We hope that having completed our rehabilitation programme, patients and their families will feel healthier and more confident, and able to look forward positively.

To find out further information on the Cardiac Rehabilitation Team please feel free to contact any of the offices.

The teams can be contacted Monday to Friday 9 am to 5pm.

British Heart Foundation