You will usually be offered cardiac rehabilitation if you’ve had:

  • a heart attack
  • a coronary stent
  • coronary artery bypass surgery
  • heart valve surgery

We may also be able to offer you cardiac rehabilitation to people with other heart conditions such as:

  • angina
  • heart failure
  • if you have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD)

If you’re receiving treatment at one of our hospitals, a member of our team may come and see you while you’re on the ward. During our visit, we’ll give you information about your condition and the treatment you’ve had.

We’ll also talk to you about your recovery. We’ll discuss your lifestyle, how to get back to your usual activities and how you can prevent further problems. We’ll also talk to you about the Cardiac Rehabilitation programme and if it’s suitable for you, you’ll be able to start this once you’ve left hospital and fully recovered from your treatment.

If you’ve been referred to us by your GP or a different NHS trust, you may be invited to an assessment appointment with a cardiac rehabilitation specialist. During the appointment we’ll assess your suitability for the programme. If we think we can help you, we’ll discuss your goals, the activities that are best for you, and where you can do the programme.

As our programme is tailored to your individual needs and circumstances, it can vary from person to person. However, it will usually include one or more of the following:

  • physical activity e.g. exercise and activity sessions
  • education on healthy lifestyle choices e.g. practical advice on healthy eating
  • advice and support about medication
  • psychological support e.g. one to one counselling

The programme usually involves going to several sessions, each lasting 1 or 2 hours, either once or twice a week. Some programmes may have shorter or longer sessions, and vary in the number of weeks they run for. Programmes are usually run in a hospital to start with and then you may be referred on to a local community or leisure centre.

The information, support and confidence you get from the programme can help you to make healthy lifestyle choices. Research shows that cardiac rehabilitation reduces the risk of dying from coronary heart disease, and leads to an improvement in quality of life.

Carlisle and Penrith

Cardiac Rehabilitation Team
Cumberland Infirmary
01228 814733

West Cumbria

Cardiac Rehabilitation Team
West Cumberland Hospital
01946 523018