Randerson Fights for Cardiac Rehab Services

12.43.14pm GMT Fri 9th Mar 2007

Jenny Randerson AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson is campaigning to prevent the closure of Cardiac Rehabilitation Services In Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. Healthy Heart Centres were set up across Cardiff and the Vale to provide rehabilitation for heart attack patients. They were funded by lottery money which runs out in June this year and patients and staff fear that they will close.

Commenting on the situation Jenny Randerson said "The Labour Assembly Government trumpet their commitment to healthy living, yet time and again we see they are unwilling to fund simple, cost effective measures to keep patients out of hospital. It just does not make sense.

"Members of Llanishen Healthy Hearts have contacted me about this. The club meets every week and provides several options fore exercise such as aerobics and swimming under medically trained supervision. Cardiac nurses also visit to provide support and guidance. The members regard this as an invaluable service that helps them to recover and stay fit. Yet the Trust and the LHB seem to have no plans to continue these clubs once lottery funding runs out.

"A couple of weeks ago I discovered that the Government were not continuing to fund Health Living Centres across Wales, which had also been set up with lottery money. As a result most of them will close or greatly reduce their services. Yet again, we have a useful, inexpensive service designed to prevent illness which is disbanded as part of short sighted, counter productive approach to cost-cutting.

"This is typical of the Labour Assembly Government's short sighted approach to health policy in general."

Ends/diwedd

Contact/cyswllt: Andrew Sherwood - 029 2089 8324