Foreword

Br J Cardiol 2011;18:s13-s5 Leave a comment
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Sponsorship Statement: This supplement was commissioned by Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd., who also sponsored its development, print and distribution in the British Journal of Cardiology. It reports on a series of meetings recommended by the Setting the Standard For Cardiac Rehabilitation (START) Steering Committee, a committee convened by Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd. to address the question of increasing engagement with cardiac rehabilitation programmes in target areas. The supplement was written by healthcare professionals involved in these regional meetings, which Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd. were also involved in coordinating. These authors and the British Journal of Cardiology reviewed the supplement before publication. Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd. also reviewed the supplement for compliance with the ABPI Code of Practice. Conflict of interest: Dr John Buckley, Sue Baic, Dr Adrian Brady, Judith Edwards, Dr Jane Flint, Professor Julian Halcox, Alison Mead, Dr Amarjit Sethi and Dr John Townend all received an honorarium from Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd for authoring this supplement. The honorarium for Dr John Buckley was passed to the British Association for Cardiac Rehabilitation.

Robust clinical and economic evidence suggests that cardiac rehabilitation (CR) should be an important and integral component of care for many patients with heart disease. Nationally, the mean uptake for cardiac rehabilitation is as low as 38% of appropriate patients, with widespread geographic variation.1 The launch of the National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation (NACR) in 2007 focused attention on the importance of access to specialist rehabilitation services in the effective management of patients with coronary artery disease and heart failure. The campaign, led by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) with support from the British Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation (BACR), demands that all patients who might benefit should be able to access CR services, either in a medical setting or at home.

To address the question of increasing engagement with CR programmes in target areas, in 2009, I chaired a Steering Committee convened by Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd. (formerly Solvay Healthcare) called ‘Setting the Standard for Cardiac Rehabilitation’ (START). The Steering Committee advised that the existing Cardiac Networks in each region would be the best forum for disseminating information about changes in CR funding and standards of care in this field. Abbott Healthcare Products Ltd. kindly agreed to organise a series of meetings in the UK, held during 2009 and early 2010, with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of CR and reviewing best practice.

This supplement has been developed to provide insights into the issues covered by these meetings and to share important messages about modern CR from the meeting contributors.

Reference

1. National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation, Annual Statistical Report 2009. www.cardiacrehabilitation.org.uk/nacr/docs/2009.pdf

Disclaimer: This supplement does not necessarily reflect the official position of the British Association for Cardiac Rehabilitation (BACR). It is intended as a means of promoting thought and discussion for future development as well as to inform healthcare professionals and service providers working in the field of cardiovascular disease prevention and rehabilitation. Any support and sponsorship received in the production of this supplement has been donated to the BACR without condition that in any way represents endorsement of the Sponsor’s products or services The opinions, data and statements that appear in any articles published in this journal are those of the contributors. The publisher, editors, and members of the editorial board do not necessarily share the views expressed herein. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy and avoid mistakes, no liability on the part of the publisher, editors, 
the editorial board or their agents or employees is accepted for the consequences of any inaccurate or misleading information. © 2011 British Journal of Cardiology and MediNews (Cardiology) Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, or storage and transmission by means electronic or mechanical will be considered a breach of copyright unless the prior written permission of the publisher has been sought. Printed in the UK by Caric Print Ltd, Bournemouth, Dorset in association with Stephens & George Magazines Ltd. Printed on acid-free paper.
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