Why I'm proud to be a consultant physiotherapist

My name is Heather Probert, I am a consultant physiotherapist and therapy lead for cardiac rehabilitation at Harefield Hospital where no two days are the same! I am responsible for the running of the cardiac rehabilitation department, staff development, and the service for patients. ?

"We are privileged to interact with our patients over many weeks and support them through what can be one of the most challenging experiences of their lives.?"

We see a range of patients at Harefield, from people who have had heart attacks or heart surgeries, right up to complex patients who are so unwell they must stay in hospital as inpatients until they receive urgent heart transplants.?

We also have many patients who regularly attend rehab as outpatients after having artificial heart devices implanted. The devices help circulate blood around the body in patients with severe heart failure.?

Our role is to help patients recover from a cardiac event and help them lead a healthier life and lower their risk of having further heart problems. Our patients can range from young, in their 20s or late teens, to patients over 90 years young! ?

No two patients are the same as everyone has different health conditions, and all will have had different exercise levels and lifestyles before an event. As well as exercise, we also help patients manage other lifestyle changes. For example, we run a stop smoking clinic and provide advice on diet and stress management.?

We are fortunate as a team to be supported by our medical, nursing, and allied health professional colleagues. As a specialist tertiary centre, we receive patients with complex conditions, such as people on ventricular assist devices (VAD), an implant that helps the heart pump blood through the body. With the wide range of conditions and people we treat, there is no chance of getting bored!?

The main things I enjoy about my role at Harefield Hospital are the staff and the specialist services we offer. The work is always varied, and I love getting to be so innovative and help as many patients as possible.?

We are privileged to interact with our patients over many weeks and support them through what can be one of the most challenging experiences of their lives.?

Some of the most fantastic feedback we received as a team was in the early days of the pandemic. Initially, patients were so grateful to get follow-up phone calls and told us they felt like they hadn’t been forgotten, particularly those who lived alone during lockdowns. When we restarted our face-to-face service in July 2020, I had never seen patients happier to have their blood pressure checked or have an ECG while exercising!?