REACH-HF

The REACH-HF programme helps patients with heart failure achieve improved quality of life.

We have developed an evidence-informed, self-help manual (the REACH-HF Manual) for people with heart failure and their caregivers to help them manage their condition using the principles of cardiac rehabilitation. The manual is designed to be used with the support of a specially trained cardiac nurse or ‘facilitator’.

We have evaluated the clinical effectiveness, cost effectiveness and acceptability of the manual for people with heart failure and their caregivers.

                                                                                                                                                   Patient of REACH-HF programme.

Our research team benefited from the involvement of the investigators who led and published the five major trials of cardiac rehabilitation in the UK. The team has expertise in methodology (medical statistics, health economics, qualitative research, psychology, health behaviour change, evidence synthesis and modelling) and clinical practice (cardiology, primary care, cardiac rehabilitation, nursing and physiotherapy) and uniquely involves service users. The Heart Manual Service, NHS Lothian (with extensive experience in delivery and implementation of the Heart Manual for people after myocardial infarction or revascularisation) has been and continues to be a key collaborator. REACH-HF started as an independent research programme funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research scheme (Reference Number RP-PG-1210-12004) and built upon work previously conducted by the research team during an NIHR Programme Development Grant award (Reference Number RP-DG-0709-10111). The views expressed are those of the research team and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Professor Rod Taylor – developing a new intervention for heart failure patients for rehabilitation

Are you a trained REACH-HF facilitator? Interested in rolling out the digital version of the REACH-HF manual in your area?

If you are a trained REACH-HF cardiac rehabilitation healthcare professional and you’re interested in rolling out the digital version of the REACH-HF manual to patients with heart failure in your area, please get in touch with us:  reach-hf@exeter.ac.uk  We can’t wait to launch this new platform to improve accessibility of cardiac rehab –  we look […]

£2.4 million awarded by NIHR HTA to fund new REACH-HFpEF trial

The Universities of Dundee, Glasgow, Exeter, Birmingham, Cambridge and York have received £2.4 million to lead a clinical trial of a home-based cardiac rehabilitation programme for people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and their caregivers. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment Programme funding will allow them to undertake a […]

D REACH-HF: Digital Rehabilitation Enablement in Chronic Heart Failure

The REACH-HF programme has been rolled-out in four NHS centres and across health boards in Scotland, using the paper manual. Although the programme has been well received by patients, care-givers and health-professionals, we have had many requests for it to be in a digital format, e.g. accessed via a website or app. We received funding […]

Are you a trained REACH-HF facilitator? Interested in rolling out the digital version of the REACH-HF manual in your area?

If you are a trained REACH-HF cardiac rehabilitation healthcare professional and you’re interested in rolling out the digital version of the REACH-HF manual to patients with heart failure in your area, please get in touch with us:  reach-hf@exeter.ac.uk  We can’t wait to launch this new platform to improve accessibility of cardiac rehab –  we look […]

£2.4 million awarded by NIHR HTA to fund new REACH-HFpEF trial

The Universities of Dundee, Glasgow, Exeter, Birmingham, Cambridge and York have received £2.4 million to lead a clinical trial of a home-based cardiac rehabilitation programme for people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and their caregivers. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment Programme funding will allow them to undertake a […]

D REACH-HF: Digital Rehabilitation Enablement in Chronic Heart Failure

The REACH-HF programme has been rolled-out in four NHS centres and across health boards in Scotland, using the paper manual. Although the programme has been well received by patients, care-givers and health-professionals, we have had many requests for it to be in a digital format, e.g. accessed via a website or app. We received funding […]