Heart attack centres 'under-staffed'

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Even those patients lucky enough to be referred for rehabilitation face a "second lottery" in the kind of care they receive due to a lack of resources, it said.

The study, from the British Heart Foundation (BHF), examined the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programmes on offer throughout the UK.

In 2006/07, the number of patients starting a programme of cardiac rehabilitation following heart attack, elective angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery, increased slightly to 47% from 43% the previous year.

However, even those programmes that were up and running were understaffed and did not meet minimum requirements as set down by official watchdogs, including the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice).

Rehabilitation programmes are aimed at providing people affected by heart disease and complications with ongoing advice and support. This includes help with improving lifestyle and diet, exercise programmes, and providing counselling.

In the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, the government set a target in 2000, that 85% of heart patients in England should be invited to attend cardiac rehabilitation.

The report found that three out of five heart patients in the UK who need rehabilitation do not have access to it.

Cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to give heart patients a 26% greater chance of surviving in the five years following their diagnosis.

The study found that London has the lowest rate of cardiac rehabilitation for patients who have suffered a heart attack, with only 31% of patients receiving treatment. The highest level of cardiac rehabilitation for patients who have suffered a heart attack is in the North East at 52%.