Cardiac rehabilitation is a professionally supervised programme that aims to help improve the health and well-being of people who have heart problems.

It involves a series of exercise and health education sessions that help you get back to everyday life as efficiently and successfully as possible after a heart attack or heart surgery.

“The sum of activities required to favourably influence the underlying cause of the disease, as well as the best possible physical, mental and social conditions, so that they may, by their own efforts, preserve or resume, when lost, as normal a place as possible in the community.” (World Health Organisation, 1993)

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme at North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) is run by a team of Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse Specialists and Exercise Specialists, with administrative support, and includes:

• The opportunity to take part in a supervised programme of exercise to help you recover and improve your fitness.
• A series of health education talks aimed at helping you understand your condition, and make changes to your lifestyle that will help improve your health and reduce the risk of further heart problems.
• The chance to meet others who have been through a similar experience.
• Advice and practical support to help you deal with the psychological and social effects of your cardiac event.
• Practical advice about helping you return to work.
• The chance to ask questions about your heart condition and discuss any worries you have.

Why is Cardiac Rehabilitation important?

There is a growing body of good quality evidence within the international community to support the delivery of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation services to patients. The findings of a meta-analysis of 37 trials (Dusseldorp et al 1999) suggest that a comprehensive programme of cardiac rehabilitation (including exercise, educational and/or psychological interventions) result in a 34% reduction in cardiac mortality and a 29% reduction in reoccurrence of myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Who can access the service?

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Service has been developed to support patients who have had a diagnosis of myocardial infarction (heart attack) or have undergone coronary artery bypass surgery, and live within the catchment area of the hospital.

Inpatient services are provided on Cardiac Care Unit (CCU)/ Acute Cardiology ward at Gate 27A, Level 4 of the Brunel building at Southmead Hospital.

Both areas provide specialised cardiology care in all areas of acute and interventional cardiology.

The nursing team is led by Sister Jennie Speedie and Matron Sarah Lidgett.

North Bristol NHS Trust Cardiac Catheter Laboratory, based on Level 2 of the Brunel building, Southmead Hospital and provides:

• Angiography
• Angioplasty
• Pacemaker implantation
• Implantable defibrillator implantation.

These are done as elective procedures for outpatients and urgent procedures for inpatients.

The Cardiology Department at North Bristol NHS Trust is responsible for carrying out a wide range of diagnosis tests and complex treatments on people with cardiac disease and other heart problems.

Tests and treatments are carried out at various locations within North Bristol NHS Trust including:

• Brunel building, Southmead Hospital Bristol
• Cossham Hospital
• Clevedon Hospital

Inpatient services are provided by Cardiac Care Unit (CCU)/ Acute Cardiology ward based on Level 4 in the Brunel building.  

Currently there are 6 Cardiology Consultants (Cardiologists) within the trust supported by a team of dedicated staff including Doctors, Cardiac Physiologists, Cardiographers, Nurses, Radiographers and Secretarial and Administrative staff.

What we do:

• Routine electrocardiograms
• Ambulatory and blood pressure monitors
• Patient activated monitoring
• Routine echocardiograms (Ultrasounds scans)
• Complex echocardiograms (TOE’s, bubble studies, contrast studies and 3D scans)
• Exercise tolerance tests
• Myocardial perfusion imaging
• Head up tilt-testing
• Rapid access chest pain clinics
• Palpitations clinics
• Syncope clinics
• General cardiology clinics
• Valvular heart disease clinics
• Cardioversion
• Angiograms
• Pacemaker Implants
• Implantable Defibrillator implants (ICDs)
• Balloon Angioplasty /coronary stenting (PCIs)

GMC Number: 4031886

Year of first qualification: 1993, St Mary's, Imperial College, University of London

Specialty: Trauma & Orthopaedics

Clinical interest: Shoulder & Elbow

Secretary: Sue Griffin

Telephone: 0117 414 1622

Mr Mark Crowther was appointed as a consultant in 2005 with major interest in arthroscopic & open shoulder surgery.

Following fellowship training in Melbourne & Cape Town, he has experience in shoulder instability and other sporting conditions as well as all types of shoulder replacement operations for arthritic conditions.

Mr Mark Crowther specialises in fracture fixation and use of locking plates around the shoulder & elbow.

GMC Number: 4225305

Year of first qualification: 1994, University Of Edinburgh

Specialty: Neurology

Clinical interest: Multiple Sclerosis

Secretary: Sharon Collins and Holly Yockney

Telephone: 0117 414 6683

Dr Cottrell (MBChB, BSc (Hons), FRCP, PhD) runs both general Neurology and Multiple Sclerosis specialty clinics at North Bristol NHS Trust.  

He was the co-founder of the BrAMS charity at North Bristol NHS Trust. This charity has provided the resources to both expand the Multiple Sclerosis multidisciplinary team and provide the infrastructure necessary for Multiple Sclerosis OP care.  Through the BrAMS unit, Dr Cottrell leads a clinical research team currently involved in six on-going MS clinical trials.

GMC Number: 4717339

Specialty: Radiology

Secretary: Niamh Hamer/Holly Hacker

Telephone no: 01174149015/01174145174

GMC Number: 4035086

Year of first qualification: 1985

Specialty: Plastic Surgery

Clinical interest: Burns, skin cancer

Secretary: Jane Baker

Telephone: 0117 414 7603

Year of first qualification: 1990, St Thomas' Hospital Medical School

Specialty: Trauma & Orthopaedics

Clinical interest: Trauma including pelvic, hip and lower limb

Secretary: Teresa Purdue

Telephone: 0117 414 1638

Mr Tim Chesser is a member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Society, British Orthopaedic Association, British Hip Society and Orthopaedic Trauma Association.

He is also a Board Member of the Falls & Fragility Fracture Audit Project.

Cancer Psychology 

It is normal to feel emotional about your cancer diagnosis, and a range of support is available to people who have had or are affected by cancer. 

Any point in your cancer journey can be overwhelming. You can experience many emotions or feel that life is out of control. The uncertainty and anxiety of this can be physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. There is no right or wrong way to deal with these feelings, but if you feel they interfere with your everyday life, it may be worth requesting further support.

The Cancer Psychology Team is a specialist service for adults living with and beyond cancer. We support patients who are cared for by a consultant at North Bristol NHS Trust. If you are referred to the Cancer Psychology Team, you will be offered an initial appointment to talk about your difficulties and plan for the best support. This may include being added to the waiting list for one-to-one psychological therapy or being signposted to a support group, other NBT services, or community services depending on what is considered most helpful. 

One to one Support

Group Support

© North Bristol NHS Trust. This edition published January 2025. Review due January 2028. NBT003763