Empowering cardiac rehabilitation patients in Hertfordshire with life-saving skills
Our Cardiac Rehabilitation Team in Hertfordshire has taken a ground-breaking step in enhancing patient care by leading the first-ever emergency care sessions which are part of a wider eight week rolling cardiac rehabilitation education programme held at a community centre in Hemel Hempstead. This innovative initiative marks a significant milestone in bridging the gap between rehabilitation and urgent care, designed to equip patients and self-manage their heart health.
In late 2024, NHS England released updated commissioning standards for cardiac rehabilitation, emphasising the inclusion of basic life support (such as CPR and defibrillators) as a key component of comprehensive programme delivery. Acknowledging this gap in the existing service, the team took prompt action by holding the first session on 15 July, led by Victoria Mack, Cardiac Rehabilitation Team Lead and Paige Rhodes, Specialist Nurse.
The sessions are designed to give patients the opportunity to build confidence in recognising and responding to someone who is unwell, while also learning essential life-saving skills through a blend of theory and hands-on practice. With permission from the Essex and Herts Air Ambulance Service, the sessions incorporated instructional videos on life-saving techniques, followed by practical demonstrations. Patients were also given the chance to practise using manikins and a demonstration defibrillator, helping to demystify these tools and boost their confidence in managing emergency situations.
The workshop was met with strong patient engagement and overwhelmingly positive feedback. Patients actively participated in the practical activities and openly shared their experiences. The overall response was very encouraging, with many expressing that they left feeling significantly more confident in their ability to respond to emergency situations using the skills they had learned.
One attendee, Maurice Godden shared: "The session was brilliant. I’ve already told my family what I learned and feel much more confident about getting involved in emergency situations using the skills I’ve gained”.
Victoria Mack further commented: It has been wonderful to be able to roll out the emergency care sessions and see patients enthusiasm and confidence increase. Our aim was - and continues to be - to empower patients to acquire life-saving skills that can make a difference and strengthen patient-provider connections during critical moments. Being able to offer emergency care education has been a game changer for our cardiac rehab service.”
The team will continue delivering these sessions with enthusiasm, encouraging even greater participation from families and friends. They are also expanding their reach by integrating the sessions into other virtual education classes currently running across West Hertfordshire, thereby broadening access and making these valuable sessions available to even more patients.
Here are photos of the highlights of the day:
