Our Philosophy

“The Cardiac Rehabilitation Team will work together to create a positive and supportive environment that enables excellence in practice to flourish.We will endeavour to provide a high standard of care in an holistic and patient centered manner, helping people to regain confidence and ability following a cardiac event”.

April 2006

The Facts

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is responsible for 26% of premature deaths in men, and 16% of premature deaths in women. Nearly all deaths from CHD are because of a heart attack, and 30% of these people will die before reaching hospital (ONS 2000). Within Heart of Birmingham teaching Primary Care Trust (HoBtPCT) 70% of the population are from ethnic minority groups. Approximately 9.4% of the population live in over crowded accommodation — 19 times the proportion of overcrowding in the more affluent neighbouring Sutton Coldfield area (ONS 2000). The death rates between 1998-2000 demonstrate that an inhabitant of Birmingham is eight times more likely to die from CHD than if they lived in Solihull. Heart of Birmingham had 300 deaths per annum compared to approximately 150 deaths between 1998-2000 in Solihull (ONS 2000).

The premature death rate is falling for CHD across all social groups, both men and women. However the death rate for men is falling faster in non-manual workers than in manual workers, and this means that the difference in heath inequalities between the privileged and under privileged is increasing (ONS 2000).