Service : Cardiac Rehabilitation Service (Berkshire West)

Service overview

Our service is part of the Cardiac and Respiratory Specialist Services (CARSS), which is available in Berkshire West.

Our Cardiac Rehabilitation service is designed to support your recovery following a cardiac event, such as a heart attack. Through a structured programme of exercise and education, we aim to help you improve your long-term health and reduce the risk of future complications.

We may also be able to support you with other cardiac conditions. Please speak to your consultant, nurse, or GP to find out more.

Accessing our service

To access our service, you'll need to be referred by your hospital team or your GP after you've had a cardiac event. It's important that you're 18 or older and registered with a GP in Berkshire West.

You must also have a confirmed cardiac event, such as:

heart attack, also known as myocardial infarction
heart surgery, such as valve replacement or repair, coronary artery bypass graft, stent insertion
implantable cardioverter defibrillator, which helps treat abnormal heart rhythms
diagnosed stable heart failure

Cardiac rehabilitation programme

If we can accept your referral, we’ll arrange an assessment with you.

Our eight week programme covers the exercise and education you need to manage your heart condition effectively, and reduce further heart events.

We’ll talk about your condition, or any procedures, as well as medications and lifestyle changes. We’ll also cover your goals and what you’d like to achieve through the programme, and set start date for you to join.

We run our programme through group sessions at local community centres or at the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

We may be able to provide a home exercise programme if you need more one-to-one support because you have difficulties with accessing group sessions or have problems with your mobility.

We’ll monitor your progress and offer recommendations on how to continue exercising when you’ve finished.

We may also direct you to local, council run schemes or other services that may be able to help.

Myths about heart disease and attacks

Myth: Heart disease is only caused by poor lifestyle

Fact: As well as lifestyle, there are other factors that can influence heart disease, such as inherited heart conditions (genetics). It’s often unclear what causes heart disease, which means that all people, whatever shape, size, gender, or age, can be affected.

Myth: You can have a 'minor heart attack'

Fact: Yes, it’s true that heart attacks can vary in how much of the heart muscle is damaged - but not matter how much of your heart is affected, a heart attack means you have heart disease. Cardiac Rehabilitation can help your recovery and improve your long-term health with preventing further events.

Your e-Health Passport

Your e-Health Passport lets us know what's important to you - from your preferred name and pronouns to how you'd like us to support you and communicate with you.

Learn more

Contact us and FAQs

All visits to our centres are by appointment only. Please do not visit our centres unless you have an appointment.

If you’re unsure who to contact, please speak to your GP.

Our team are primarily based in Reading.

Coley Clinic

CARSS Service

Contact number: 0118 904 6555 We're available from 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Can I do this programme again if I’ve done it before?

Yes. You are able to complete this programme multiple times if required.

Can I leave the programme at any time?

You can leave the programme at any time, but we would recommend that you complete the 8 weeks.

Will I be provided with equipment?

Equipment will be provided during the programme sessions.

We can also help you with

Is there any information for friends, family and carers?

If you’re a family member/carer or you look after someone, there’s practical, financial, and emotional support available to you from a range of local communities and national organisations.

How do I request an interpreter?

We can provide language translation and interpretation support whenever you visit or contact us.

Tell our staff which language you prefer to use, and we will make sure the right communication support is in place for your assessment and treatment. Please let us know as early as possible so we can ensure the appropriate translation or interpreting support is available.

We offer a range of professional services to ensure everyone can understand and be understood:

telephone interpreting
video remote interpreting (VRI)
face‑to‑face interpreting
written translation
British Sign Language (BSL) interpreting

How can I get information in an accessible format?

Anyone with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss has the right to receive information in a format that meets their needs. Under the Accessible Information Standard (AIS)—a legal requirement for all health and adult social care providers—we must ensure that people who use our services, including carers and families, can understand the information we provide and communicate effectively with us.

We can offer information in a range of accessible formats, including:

British Sign Language (BSL)
large print
braille
audio
easy Read
email
text message
face‑to‑face support with a carer or advocate present

If you need information in any of these formats, please tell a member of our team and we will make sure your communication needs are met.

Are service dogs allowed to my appointment?

Yes. You are welcome to bring your registered service animal, such as a guide dog, hearing dog, medical alert dog, or other trained assistance dog to your appointment.

These animals are recognised as essential support and are permitted in most areas of our services.

To help us prepare, please let the team know before your appointment if you will be attending with a service animal. This allows us to make sure the environment is safe and comfortable for you, your animal, and other patients.

Please note that service animals may not be able to enter certain restricted clinical areas for safety or infection‑control reasons, but we will always work with you to find an appropriate alternative.

Treating our team with respect.

Respect is important.

We will be polite and kind and we expect that you treat our staff in the same way.

Abuse, hate and discrimination against our staff is unacceptable.

We will take strong action against anyone who is verbally, racially, physically, or sexually abusive to them.

This includes contacting the police to prosecute, and stopping future access to our healthcare services.