Just 50% of heart attack patients get vital rehab
HALF of heart attack survivors are not receiving the crucial care they need to recover, a major audit has found.
Some 68,000 people missed out on cardiac rehabilitation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2017/18 – 50 per cent of the 136,000 patients who were eligible.
The rehabilitation programme includes exercise, education and psychological support and it has been shown to improve the chances of survival for those who have suffered a heart attack or undergone cardiac surgery.
Rehabilitation care in the aftermath of a heart attack has been shown to reduce the risk of death by 18 per cent in the following year and cut a patient’s chance of readmission to hospital by 31 per cent.
The damning figures, published in the National Audit of Cardiac Rehaavailable bilitation today, suggest countless people could be dying too early because they are simply not getting the care they need.
NHS England is aiming for 85 per cent of eligible patients to take part in cardiac rehab programmes by 2028 – but the proportion of survivors in the programme has barely improved in recent years.
The audit found that 27 per cent of patients missed out on the early stage of rehab because they were too ill, refused to take part or were on holiday. Another 8 per cent had returned to work or could not find transport to get to the sessions.
However, 65 per cent did not receive rehab because they were never referred, doctors decided they did not need it, there were no staff or they were transferred to a different hospital trust.
John Maingay, director of policy and influencing at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘We know cardiac rehabilitation can save lives, but the static uptake rate suggests it isn’t accessible or flexible enough to work for everyone, or that its benefits are not being clearly enough explained to patients.
‘Unless we develop bold new ideas for promoting and delivering this recovery care, tens of thousands of people will continue to miss out.’
Rehabilitation involves a gentle reintroduction to physical activity, including exercise classes and guidance on diet. Patients are also given guidance about how to live with heart disease and reduce their risk of another attack.
Evidence from clinical trials suggests that tailored programmes – focused around the person rather than the service – are particularly successful for patients.
Yet fewer than one in ten cardiac rehab patients are offered the service in their own home.
Professor Patrick Doherty, director of the National Audit for Cardiac Rehabilitation, said: ‘For many people, group-based cardiac rehab works. However, it’s crucial we don’t rely on a one-size-fits-all approach.
‘To see a significant rise in people taking up this vital recovery, we want to see cardiac rehabilitation designed around people’s needs which gives them access to a range of options that work for them, including home-based and digital programmes.’
Mr Doherty added: ‘ This would not only benefit people by helping them to live happier, healthier lives but also help to relieve some of the pressure on the NHS.’
‘Reduces risk of death’