Heart Failure Support Service

The Heart Failure Support Service is a partnership between Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and NHS Highland designed to provide much needed social support for patients left isolated as a result of living with heart failure.

The Befriending Service
The Service

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The Befriending Service

June, the Cardiac and Respiratory Support Service Co-ordinator, now has a team of people ready and trained to help those with heart failure.

The only criterion for people to be referred to the scheme is that they have chronic heart failure.    June would urge any GPs, social workers, carers or friends and family in the Highlands to refer patients with chronic heart failure onto the programme as it can significantly improve their quality of life.

And consultant cardiologist Professor Steve Leslie said - “I think this is an exciting opportunity for patients with chronic heart failure and compliments the treatment they are currently receiving from the NHS.”

So if you, or someone you know, would benefit from this excellent service; or you wish further information then please contact June Macleod on 01463 701196 or at June.macleod@chss.org.uk

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The Service

Introduction 
Objectives
Service model

Introduction

The Heart Failure Support Service (HFSS) is a partnership between Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and NHS Highland.

• It provides social support to people, living in their local communities, who have become isolated as a result of living with heart failure.
• Heart failure is a debilitating long–term condition which can seriously affect quality of life. Over 100,000 people live with heart failure in Scotland today, many of whom regularly experience breathlessness, fatigue and painful leg and ankle swelling. These lead to reduced mobility which, in turn, can contribute to social isolation and loneliness.
• People living with heart failure are also three times more likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety, which can also play a part in becoming isolated.

Objectives

The main objectives of the HFSS are to:

• Reduce the social isolation of clients through providing companionship and information about services and activities in their local communities.
• Increase the potential for clients' participation in new activities or activities which they had enjoyed prior to developing heart failure.
• Improve the quality of life of clients through helping to raise self–confidence and enjoyment.

Service model

There are three components to the HFSS model: Volunteer Befriending, Heart Failure Forum Meetings and the Heart Failure Newsletter. These are aimed at providing support to people living with Heart Failure in a range of different ways.

• Volunteer Befriending: trained volunteers are matched on a one–to–one basis with isolated clients. Volunteers visits clients in their own homes on a weekly or fortnightly basis and accompany them on trips out of the home where appropriate.
• Heart Failure Forum Meetings: in partnership with Heart Failure Specialist nurses, HFSS Coordinators organise regular informal meetings in their local areas for people living with heart failure and their carers. Guest speakers are invited to talk on a wide range of subjects of interest and it is an excellent chance to meet other people living with the same condition. Refreshments and a very warm welcome are always provided! For more information contact the HFSS Coordinator in your area.
• Heart Failure Newsletter: CHSS Local Coordinators and Heart Failure Specialist Nurses produce a quarterly newsletter full of useful articles about Heart Failure, health tips, local events and services and contributions from people living with Heart Failure and their carers.

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