• Reference Number: HEY956/2026
• Departments: Cardiology
• Last Updated: 31 March 2026

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about the Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme following your hospital treatment. Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your doctor or nurse but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss these with a member of the healthcare team caring for you.

What is Cardiac Rehabilitation?

Cardiac Rehabilitation is a tailored treatment and prevention programme, delivered by a team of healthcare professionals, which helps improve the health and well-being of people who have heart problems. Cardiac Rehabilitation can be of benefit to people following a heart attack, heart surgery or for those who have heart failure or angina. It is also useful for some people who have had a stent or a cardiac device e.g. implantable defibrillator. Participating in Cardiac Rehabilitation is a really important part of your care following your admission to hospital with a heart problem or for a heart procedure and is very much encouraged by your healthcare team.

Why do I need Cardiac Rehabilitation?

It is important to take part in Cardiac Rehabilitation because it can support you to improve your heart health. Cardiac Rehabilitation has been found to reduce the risk of dying and helps improve some of the risk factors for coronary heart disease. Programmes will vary in different areas but often consist of a mix of physical exercise, relaxation, support and advice as well as education on a range of topics to encourage you and your family to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Who will be involved in my care?

This will vary in different services, but teams can include cardiac specialist nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians, exercise specialists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, psychologists and doctors (such as a cardiologist or GP). You will automatically be referred to your local community Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme by the hospital. Your local community Cardiac Rehabilitation team will then make contact with you once you are home to discuss the options available to support you in your recovery. If you need any advice or support before the Cardiac Rehabilitation service make contact with you, please feel free to ring your local service, details below:

Your team is the area in which your GP is located:

Hull and East Riding of Yorkshire             Tel: 01482 247111

North Lincolnshire and Goole                  Tel: 03033304570

York and Scarborough                              Tel: 01904 725821

If you do not live in any of the above areas, the ward staff will be able to advise who your local contact is.

How do I prepare for Cardiac Rehabilitation?

Please read this information leaflet. Share the information it contains with your partner and family (if you wish) so that they can be of help and support. There may be information they need to know, especially if they are taking care of you.

General Advice

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with your healthcare team.

You should always ask them more questions if you don’t understand or if you want more information.

For this referral onto your Cardiac Rehabilitation Service, you will be given both verbal and written information.

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.