Formal exercise classes for patients with IC

[emmabond]

Hi
Our vascular unit is trying to obtain funding for a formally led exercise class for patients with intermittent claudication, we would be grateful for any advice, documentation or the opportunity to visit other areas.
Has anybody got any data on the reduction of angiplasty rates etc?

Any comment would be gratefully received
Em

[Leanne Cook]

Hi

Sorry in the same position as you, even though the evidence of supervised exercise is vast and has been reviewed and supported by Cochrane we still, like many, have been unable to obtain funding to support one. Occasionally I have been able to get some of my patients onto the cardiac rehabilitation exercise programme but this is more of a favour then by policy! Like you would be interested to see who holds classes and how funding was gained.

Leanne

[jane13564]

Hi

I also seem to be in the same position, would love to have a formal exercise class for my IC patients but lack of funding is a major pitfall. I give my patients exercises to do at home but this is no real substitute for structured exercise and the feeling they get from being part of a group of people with similar problems. We live in hope!

Jane

[wardsu]

Hi, we got round it by finding a helpful physio with time to spare, and once it was up and running the pct are charged by the patients attending the clinic. Mind we have found that our home walkers and exercisers do better than the patients in the exercise class. We do invest quite a lot of time in our home exercisers, and they generally do very well

Sue Ward,
Brighton