Heart failure nurses
* Heart failure is a serious condition but it does not actually mean that your heart has failed. It means that your heart is not pumping blood around your body very efficiently. You can find out more about heart failure, its causes and treatment from the NHS Direct website.
What do heart failure nurses do?
Heart failure nurses work across Northumberland providing care, advice, support, education and medication management to people who have been diagnosed with heart failure.
Care is offered to people who are house bound as well as to those who are able to attend a clinic. The heart failure nurses work closely with all of the other community health and social care services.
How can I access the service?
Anyone who is registered with a Northumberland GP and has been diagnosed with heart failure can be referred to the service by their GP, a community matron or a hospital medical team. The service will respond to each patient’s needs on an individual basis.
What will happen?
Once you have been referred to the service, you will be contacted and, depending on your needs, you will be either invited to attend a clinic appointment or a heart failure nurse will arrange to visit you at home.
Assessment
When you meet a heart failure nurse they will begin by assessing your heart needs and your social needs. They will take some measurements from you and talk a little more about what the service offers. The heart failure nurse may ask your permission to refer you for further tests or to see other health care professionals.
Education
The heart failure nurse will be able to give you more information about your condition and offer you education and advice about your lifestyle. This is because the heart failure nurses like patients to understand the positive impact they can have on their own condition and the importance of their medication.
Management plan
After talking, the heart failure nurse will agree a plan with you to manage your condition. This care plan will be constantly reviewed at each meeting.
After your appointment or visit
Following each meeting with a heart failure nurse, information will be passed on to your GP, detailing the discussion that has taken place and any medication or social changes that have been agreed upon. You will be offered a return appointment and a contact number for the nurse. As well as this, you may be given more information or leaflets about the things discussed.
Contact details
If you feel you would benefit from seeing a heart failure nurse, please contact your GP or district nurse. For other queries about the service, please contact the service secretary on 01670 542930, Monday to Friday,9am - 5pm.
Useful websites
British Heart Foundation - within this site you can find information about heart failure as well as what you can do to keep your heart healthy.
Healthy Heart - find information on how to look after your heart, risk factors that you may be susceptible to, and actions and incentives for leading a more heart friendly lifestyle.
Food Standards Agency – advice on making healthier eating choices
Useful leaflets
If you need to request a copy in large print, or in another format or language please call 01670 394522.
