The National Heart Failure Patient Charter of Ireland, is a patient led initiative that was developed by two members of the Irish Heart Foundation heart failure patient community (the late Annette Irving from Mayo, a retired nurse, who worked relentlessly to raise the patient voice) and Irish Heart Foundation Patient Champion, Sheilagh Foley from Dublin, another phenomenal patient advocate for heart failure patients.
Irish Heart Foundation Patient Champion Sheilagh Foley, Patient Advocate, Annette Irving RIP & Advocacy Campaign Manager, Pauline O’Shea during the Chater’s creation.
The aim of this charter is to give a voice to the heart failure patient community in Ireland, of whom there are an estimated 137,000 people, to express their needs in their care provision from healthcare professionals, policy makers, advocates and community carers in Ireland.
Timeliness in care, information access, holistic patient care (including access to psychological supports), community resourced care, signposting to support services, organisations and networks and inclusion of patients in policy, co-design, and appraisal are all key issues highlighted in the charter.
In it’s opening address, the Charter outlines the reality for heart failure patients;
“Heart failure is a serious long-term condition that requires the patient, medics and support systems to work together in a partnership for the rest of the patient’s life. This charter aims to outline how best to achieve this alliance in a sustainable way”
The Irish Heart Foundation’s Heart Failure Council members, as well as a number of other organisations like the Irish Nurses Cardiovascular Association, the Irish Association of Cardiac Rehab and Irish Association of Heart Failure Nurses have endorsed the charter.
“The Irish Heart Foundation is proud to launch ‘The National Heart Failure Patient Charter of Ireland’ for our wonderful heart failure patient community and advocates, who have worked tirelessly to advance the recognition and rights of heart failure patients in Ireland.”
The inclusion of a QR code feature on the charter allowing heart failure patients all over Ireland to access information on our wide range of patient supports from Heart Connect-an essential support service delivered over the phone- to peer support groups to online courses, to counselling to information and education talks, to expert nurse support line and advocacy training, addressing some of the unmet care needs identified in the charter, be delivered by our organisation, which further adds to its value.
Physical copies of the Charter will be made available to heart failure clinics and chronic disease management hubs all over Ireland, but to encourage greater accessibility and engagement, they are also available in an online print ready format here.
For information on other patient advocacy opportunities for cardiovascular patients, please visit www.irishheart.ie/patientchampions
2025-06-20
