Experts from Northumbria and Sheffield Hallam Universities have launched a new research project on Tuesday to increase patient uptake of cardiac rehabilitation programmes.

Funded by the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System, the project aims to save up to 19,500 lives and prevent 49,000 hospital admissions in the next ten years. 

Professor Des Breen, Medical Director of South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw Integrated Care System said: “In South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, more than 1,000 people under the age of 75 die every year from Cardiovascular Disease. It’s the second biggest contributor to the gap in life expectancy between our population and England.

“We’re excited to see where the results will take us and see how they’ll contribute towards our wider ambitions of making people healthier, and live well, for longer.”

Starting from April, the project will be held at hospitals across South Yorkshire and will run for six months.

Researchers will recruit 300 patients who are in hospital following a cardiac event, heart surgery or diagnosis of a new heart condition.

Using an online questionnaire and a number of interviews, the team seeks to understand which cardiac rehabilitation services patients want to engage with and how. 

The information gathered will be used to help design a new programme aimed at increasing uptake and completion.

Jo Adams, CVD Clinical Development Coordinator for Yorkshire and Humber at the British Heart Foundation, welcomed the opportunity to support the research. 

She said: “People living with heart and circulatory diseases need varying types of support which may range from dietary advice to guided exercise or psychological support.

“By involving them in the design and delivery of the programme, we hope to improve the number of people attending cardiac rehabilitation and ultimately help them to live a fuller, longer and healthier life.”