Hansard

I, too, congratulate Nanette Milne on securing the debate. I join her in congratulating Grampian Cardiac Rehabilitation Association on all its valuable work. I also pay tribute to all those in the NHS who provide care and treatment for people with coronary heart disease.

The Government has confirmed that tackling coronary heart disease continues to be a national clinical priority for the NHS in Scotland. That is right and welcome. Almost a fifth of deaths in Scotland are related to heart disease. That is preventable. Every year, about 10,000 people in Scotland survive a heart attack and 13,000 angina patients require admission to hospital. I absolutely agree with Mary Scanlon on the cost of that to the NHS, never mind to the individual. All of those people, plus a further 6,000 patients with chronic heart failure, would undoubtedly benefit from cardiac rehabilitation. The number of people who are affected by coronary heart disease is greater still. There is a clear need for provision in this area in local communities.

Comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation can be delivered by multidisciplinary professional teams and by trained volunteers, who are all engaged in maintaining people’s physical health. That involves not just exercise but behavioural change, education and psychological support, all of which are geared towards facilitating a return to normal living.

In most cases, as in Grampian, patients are the catalyst for setting up rehabilitation associations. I pay tribute to those in Grampian who took the time and trouble to get involved in establishing their group. That support is much valued, and not just by increasing numbers of people in Grampian; I also know that it is valued from my own constituency experience. It is fortunate that a number of local groups provide cardiac rehabilitation in Dumbarton, the Vale of Leven and Helensburgh. One such group is the healthy heart lifestyle club, which runs two classes a week at the Concord community centre in Dumbarton. I have been out and about with its members on a couple of occasions, and they put me to shame. The club was established 15 years ago, by staff working alongside patients at the Vale of Leven hospital. Those patients had been admitted following heart incidents. They underwent an initial rehabilitation programme at the hospital, and following discharge were referred to the club to continue their treatment by developing and maintaining a longer-term exercise plan.

Brian Adam was right when he said that classes become social occasions. The club has become quite a social group, with a number of things going on. It has grown in size and currently has approximately 40 attendees. Instructors are trained to certified standards of the British association for cardiac rehabilitation.

Since the first group was established 15 years ago, a further three heart and lifestyle classes have been formed in the constituency. Two are run by the local authority, at the Vale of Leven swimming pool and at the Meadow centre in Dumbarton; the other, which is in Helensburgh, is run by a private instructor—that is unusual. Like the Grampian group, they all do exceptional work.

Nanette Milne was right to say that there is a patchwork of provision, which does not cover the whole of Scotland. We know that cardiac rehabilitation can improve the prognosis and quality of life of people who live with heart disease. There is no doubt that it is an effective preventive measure. I agree with Brian Adam that we should consider broadening coverage to include people with other heart conditions, as a preventive measure.

I hope that the minister and all members will support and encourage the development of community-based cardiac rehabilitation services. It does not matter whether services are run by communities, local authorities or in partnership; what we need is a network of services that are accessible to every community. As Mary Scanlon said, cardiac rehabilitation works. It cuts readmissions and it can help to save lives. Anything that we can do to encourage the development of a network of services would be thoroughly positive.