Heart patients call on WAG for more life-saving rehab

Mar 5 2008 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail

HEART attack patients will today call on the Welsh Assembly Government to improve access to life-saving rehabilitation services.

It is estimated that six out of 10 people in Wales who need cardiac rehabilitation do not have access to it, reducing their chances of survival. Research reveals it can give patients a 26% greater chance of survival in the five years after diagnosis. The British Heart Foundation said the service – which helps patients who have been diagnosed with a heart condition, manage their health – is a “postcode lottery”.

Dr Mike Knapton, the charity’s director of prevention and care, said, “The value of this vital life-saving treatment is severely underestimated by some in the medical community and key decision-makers, something which is reflected in its lack of funding.

“If it were a pill it would have been on the NHS years ago. We want the Welsh Assembly Government and the service providers to continue to prioritise cardiac rehabilitation and address the inequalities across Wales.”

Mark Whitely, 45, from Swansea, received rehabilitation after he suffered a heart attack in October. He said it was a key factor in his recovery.

He said, “Cardiac rehab gave me a unique blend of support from the multi-disciplinary health professional team to the help and support gained from other patients going through the same experiences as myself.

“Thanks to the cardiac rehabilitation service in my area, I can now look forward to a better and healthier future. I cannot honestly thank all involved enough for putting my life back on track.”

The British Heart Foundation and patients will lobby Health Minister Edwina Hart at a cross-party meeting at the in Senedd today.