Heart Failure Nursing Service :: George Eliot Hospital

Heart Team The Heart Failure Nurse cares for patients and their family or carers who have been diagnosed with Heart Failure.

Clinical staff and GPs can also request information from this service.

The Heart Failure Team at George Eliot are making changes to the way we see our Patients.

You may have already received a letter telling you that your appointment will no longer be held at the main hospital, or you may get a letter inviting you to an appointment that isn’t at George Eliot Hospital.

We recognise that it isn’t always easy to get to the hospital so we are moving some of our clinics to Hartshill Health Centre.

Here you will have access to the same level of care with our Heart Failure Nurses, but will be able to get to the health centre with regular nearby buses and for those that are coming by car, will have ample free parking.

On arrival you will be greeted by a member of the team who will take you to your appointment room.

Heart Failure Education Day

Contact us

Tel: 02476 378531

Emma West-Eggar - Heart Failure Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Lead)

Acute Team:

Ray Upchurch – Heart Failure Nurse Specialist
Samantha Copeland – Heart Failure Nurse Specialist
Michelle Goulty – Heart Failure Nurse Specialist

Community team:

Louise Roper – Heart Failure Nurse Specialist
Sam Bruce – Heart Failure Nurse Specialist
Sarah Foster- Health Care Assistant

Rehab Team:

Yemi Chapman – Heart Failure Nurse Specialist
Samantha Copeland – Heart Failure Nurse Specialist
Thanawachara Phulphan “OM” - Exercise Physiologist

GE@home:

Stacey Meachem - Clinical Nurse Specialist

When you have been given a diagnosis of Heart Failure, you will be referred to the Heart Failure Nursing Service when you are either in hospital or invited to Heart Failure Nurse Clinic.

You will receive an individually tailored programme which will include:

Advice and education to ensure you and your family or carers understand your Heart Failure Diagnosis.
Advice on how to manage and monitor your condition and who to contact if you have a concern.
Healthy lifestyle advice.
Explanation of the benefits and side effects of your medications and any further treatment planned.
Increasing or decreasing your Heart Failure medication depending on how you feel.
A full clinical Nursing assessment and blood tests when necessary.
Individualised exercise programme at George Eliot Hospital and in the Community, if appropriate.
Monthly education sessions at Mary Ann Evans Hospice.

Each patient will be offered a Heart Failure information pack, including a Heart Failure Passport to record health progress.

We also provide GEH@Home services caring for patients at home following an acute admission to hospital to help get patients home quicker and to be treated in their own home environment.

Weigh yourself daily and if you notice an increase in weight by 3-4 1bs (2kg) in 3-4 days contact your Heart Failure Nurse or GP.
Unless directed otherwise limit your fluid intake to 2 litres a day or 7-8 mugs of fluid.
Eat a healthy well balanced diet and AVOID adding salt to your food.
Ensure you take your medications as prescribed and never run out of your tablets.
Keep your alcohol intake to 2-3 units a day for both men and women. Ensure you have at least 2 alcohol free days.
If you notice any changes in symptoms contact you Heart Failure Nurse or GP.
Please ensure you bring your Heart Failure Passport to every appointment.
Ensure you have had your once only pneumonia vaccination and flu jab.

Shortness of breath
Swelling of feet and legs
Chronic lack of energy
Difficult sleeping at night due to breathing problems
Swollen or tender abdomen with loss of appetite
Cough with frothy sputum
Increased urination at night
Confusion and/or impaired memory

Useful contact numbers:

George Eliot Hospital: 024 7635 1351

British Heart Foundation: 0300 456 8383

www.bhf.org.uk

Pumping Marvellous (Heart Failure Charity)

www.pumpingmarvellous.org

Keep It Pumping (Heart Failure Charity)

www.keepitpumping.com

George Eliot Hospital Support Group

Cardiac Support Group

What is Cardiac Rehabilitation?

Cardiac rehab is not just a supplement to your medication; it’s a crucial part of your treatment plan. It’s a program that everyone can benefit from.

Cardiac rehab is a personalised programme that can help to extend and improve the quality of a person’s life. It will be delivered using monitored exercise, and education about lifestyle changes to reduce risks of further heart problems. It can also reduce the uncertainty and anxiety about living with heart failure.

This would be delivered over an 8-week period with the option to attend either twice a week or once a week. The sessions are supported by a Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Heart Failure Clinical Nurse Specialists and Volunteers.

The cardiac rehab exercise classes take place at ELITE Sports Centre (ESC) Arley. However, if you are unable to attend the gym for the exercise classes, we offer a home-based programme called ‘REACH HF’.

Why should we exercise?

Exercise can help the heart to become stronger, so it does its job more effectively. The type of exercises that help the heart muscle the most are called cardiovascular or aerobic exercises such as walking or cycling.

The Chief Medical Officer guidelines state that adults should aim to do 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week. This works out as 30 minutes activity on at least 5 days of the week. Many activities at home will count towards the 150 minutes, such as brisk walking, cycling, cleaning or decorating.

Exercising for this amount of time in a week seems like a lot, however it is something we will help you gradually build towards and boost your confidence over the sessions of cardiac rehab. Exercising at a moderate intensity means you should be working hard enough to feel warmer and breathe slightly faster/heavier than at rest BUT it should not be too difficult that you cannot talk and exercise at the same time.

What happens on the Cardiac Rehab exercise programme.

At the start of your programme, you will be exercising for around 20 - 30 minutes in total. However, as your fitness improves over the weeks, this time will be gradually increased up to approximately 1 hour.

Information from your exercise assessment (Cardiovascular or functional) will be discussed with you and will be used to write you an individualised exercise programme that is best suited to your normal daily activities and your fitness level.

We will also monitor your heart rate during the sessions using a heart rate monitor that is fitted like a belt or a finger monitor, for your first 8 sessions.

When you have finished your sessions, you will have another assessment to measure your fitness levels, and we will compare this to your initial assessment at the beginning.

Further information about following cardiac rehab can be found on the following platforms, using the links below or scanning the QR codes (simply have your smart phone on camera mode and scan over either of the QR codes):

British Heart Foundation:

Cardiac rehabilitation - BHF

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/support/practical-support/cardiac-rehabilitation