Cardiac catheterisation is widely used to both diagnose and treat patients with known or suspected heart disease.

At the Royal Cornwall Hospital, we have two modern and well equipped Cardiac Catheter Laboratories, which are situated in Trelawney Wing near both the Coronary Care and Cardiac Investigation Units. Many of our patients attend as day cases and don’t need to stay overnight in hospital.

The labs perform a variety of cardiac procedures, including:

Cardiac Catheter Laboratories Contacts

Lab phone

01872 254625

Lab Manager

Rob Benton-Smith
01872 252227

Heart failure affects about 1 in 100 people in the UK. It is the term used for a condition where the heart isn’t able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. For some patients, the heart can’t fill with enough blood. For other patients, the heart can’t pump blood to the rest of the body with enough force. Symptoms include breathlessness, tiredness and ankle swelling.

The Royal Cornwall Hospital Heart Function Nursing service provides clinical and educational support for patients who are admitted to hospital with heart failure. We also provide an outpatient rapid-access diagnostic clinic (The Rapid Access Heart Function Clinic). The clinic makes sure patients referred to our service by their GPs undergo appropriate imaging and are provided with a relevant clinical management plan so that their cardiac condition is identified and managed in a timely way. The team will also refer appropriate patients to the community-based Cardiac Specialist Nurses for ongoing support with condition-related education and clinical management.

The service is currently delivered by two Heart Function Nurse Specialists. We are members of the British Society for Heart Failure and also receive professional development funding from the British Heart Foundation to ensure we are appropriately trained and able to offer the best possible care for our patients

Heart Function Nurses Contacts

Phone: 01872 253018
Email: rch-tr.heartfunction@nhs.net

Lead Consultant

Dr Parminder Chaggar

Clinical Nurse Specialist & Team Lead Heart Function

Mrs Joanna Davies

Nurse Specialist Heart Function

Mrs Rebecca West

Cardiac Audit and Information Facilitator (Heart Failure)

Mrs Sharon Botfield

We work with a multidisciplinary team of health professionals to help rehabilitate patients with cardiac disease and support them to achieve and maintain optimal physical and psychosocial health.

This service is run by cardiac nurses, exercise technicians and physiotherapists who provide exercise and educational programmes across Cornwall to people who have had heart surgery or suffered a heart attack.

The rehabilitation service is available in hospital, at home and as an outreach service. We are also supported by pharmacists, dieticians, occupational therapists, heart failure and practice nurses and strongly encourage the involvement of partners, other family members and carers.

In hospital

If you have been admitted with a heart attack we will visit you to give you information and education before you are discharged home.

If you have recently had heart surgery, the hospital where the operation was performed will tell us when you have been discharged home and one of our nurses will contact you as soon as possible after your discharge.

At home

There are a number of cardiac rehabilitation nurses situated around Cornwall who can offer you help and support. They can provide telephone contact, clinic appointments and, if necessary, visit you at home. They will assess your recovery and offer advice and support.This may involve a exercise, education or support programme, specifically put together to meet your individual needs and wishes.

Outreach service

If you have been told you need coronary bypass surgery or heart valve surgery and are going home to wait for this, we provide a telephone support and information service and also liaise on your behalf with the surgical centre. We can also give you information about accommodation and travel.

Outpatient cardiac rehabilitation exercise and education programme

Our cardiac rehabilitation nurses run exercise classes around the county. If you have had a heart attack or heart surgery you will be automatically eligible. If you have not had a heart attack or heart surgery, but would still like to talk to someone from the cardiac rehabilitation team about your heart condition, please get in touch.

Counselling and support

It is quite common to feel low after a cardiac event or have symptoms of anxiety, fear or worry. This is completely normal and usually short­ term. If you don’t start to feel better, we can offer support to help you through this time.

If you are a cardiac inpatient at the moment, please contact:

01872 253740 or rch-tr.cardiacrehab@nhs.net

Truro and Falmouth Programmes:

• Morgan’s Wellbeing Centre, Greenbottom, Truro
• Ships and Castles Leisure Centre, Falmouth

These cardiac rehabilitation exercise/education programmes are run by Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust.

If you have already been discharged from hospital, please contact:

01872 246904 or CommunityCardiacServices@cornwall.nhs.uk

Community Programmes are run by Peninsula Community Health and take place in;

• Liskeard
• St. Austell
• Newquay
• Redruth
• Penzance

If your patient is not currently under the care of a cardiologist, please download and complete this form to refer them to the Chest Pain Clinic (including those referrals which would have previously gone to the Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic).

It will allow us to decide which investigation will be most appropriate; either booking the patient directly for an investigation, or booking them in to see a member of the cardiology team in an urgent clinic.

If the patient presents with symptoms suggestive of Acute Coronary Syndrome, please admit the patient.

• Information about heart conditions and how to keep your heart healthy on NHS Choices
• The British Heart Foundation website
• Find out about improving your health at Cornwall Healthy Weight