Community cardiology

Community Cardiology in Newcastle has four components within its remit:

• rehabilitation
• supporting GP practices
• teaching
• heart failure service

Rehabilitation

Patients are referred to the service for cardiac rehabilitation after they have been discharged from hospital following a heart attack, an angioplasty, heart valve replacement or heart surgery (to the coronary arteries). 

During the first few weeks after they come home from hospital, patients are seen in their own home and advised about how to get back to their normal activities. They will also be invited to take part in group sessions at local leisure facilities. These sessions are run by specialist nurses, physiotherapists and health and fitness staff and include exercise, relaxation and healthy lifestyle advice.

Following the eight week programme, patients are encouraged to continue with regular physical activity and special step down sessions which are available at the centres used for the rehabilitation sessions.  These are taken by the same health and fitness staff who have already been working with the patients.

Support to patients from black minority ethnic (BME) groups is given by a fully trained multi-lingual worker (Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi, Mirpuri) within the team. 

For those patients who are unable to attend group sessions a home based programme is available.

Heart failure service

Patients who are referred to the heart failure service have their condition regularly assessed, get information and guidance regarding heart failure and its symptoms, and support around changing and managing medications.

The service can be delivered at clinics or through home visits.

How can I access the heart failure service?

Patients are referred via:

• Their GP
• Hospital nurse or doctor (patients with heart failure are referred via their consultant cardiologist)

Contact details

3rd Floor New Croft Centre
New Croft House
Market Street East
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 6ND

Cardiac rehabilitation   
Tel: 0191 2292960
Fax: 0191 2292994

Heart failure
Tel: 0191 2292963
Fax: 0191 2292996