The Heart Connect phone support service provides heart failure patients with up to 5 support calls from Irish Heart Foundation staff and nurses on a monthly basis to improve self -care behaviour, which research has shown is a key factor in maintaining health and well-being for patients living with heart failure.
The service aims to provide patient centred social, emotional, and practical support.
A key part of the service is to reinforce the advice of heart failure clinics and GPs, checking in with the patient to ensure they know how to manage their condition, recognise and understand red flag signs and symptoms, and who to contact if there are any issues.
There will also be a pathway to escalate any issues or concerns to the patient’s medical team with the aim of preventing further deterioration and/ or hospital admission
There is an option for referral into other IHF supports such as the nurse support line, online self-management supports, short-term interventions such as mindfulness and professional counselling, as well as peer to peer support.
After completing the Heart Connect programme, patients can continue to receive ongoing support from the Irish Heart Foundation’s National Heart Failure Support Service.
The overall goal of the service is to empower and support patient living with heart failure in the community to self-manage their condition, increase self-efficacy and live as well as possible.
The service is measured for impact on behaviour change using the European Heart Failure Self Care Behaviour Scale, a validated patient-reported outcome measure.
For more information on how to refer in or to receive heart failure supports please email heartfailure@irishheart.ie .
