A NEW cardiac rehabilitation service, based at Wycombe Hospital, has been shortlisted for a prestigious Health Service Journal award.

The Care4Today Heart Health Solutions cardiac rehabilitation programme, the result of a collaboration with Janssen Healthcare Innovation, uses a mix of exercise and education to help patients change their lifestyles.

This aims to help them manage their own condition when they return home and ultimately avoid future attacks and hospital admissions.

Patients who have suffered from a heart attack or heart-related condition are enrolled onto the programme direct from the ward. Since its launch in October 2013, the service has seen almost 250 patients complete the programme, with a further 250 currently participating. The team says it has received strong feedback from patients.

Dr Piers Clifford, Cardiology Consultant and Clinical Lead for Cardiology at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s, said: "By using the latest digital technology and working closely with the staff at ward level where the patients are admitted, we have been able to enrol more patients into rehabilitation with greater efficiency. We are working to demonstrate that, by improving the overall health of our patients and empowering them to take control of their condition, we can prevent future heart attacks and readmissions."

As well as attending sessions at Wycombe Hospital and various community sites in the county, patients access a website which lets them find educational materials, track their own progress, and connect with a member of the cardiac rehabilitation team, all from their own home.

The programme has been shortlisted for a HSJ Value in Healthcare Award, in the ‘Improvement in Patient Information Management’ category. The winner will be announced on September 23.