Healthy outlook for Bournemouth Heart Club

The Bournemouth Heart Club (BHC) has celebrated a successful year thanks to increased membership and innovative collaborations with different teams from the Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

The news has been particularly welcome following a dramatic decline in attendance, as well as significant operating losses due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Founded in 1996, the BHC was formed to provide a dedicated facility for the rehabilitation of patients who had undergone cardiac interventions such as a by-pass or stents. Additionally, the aim was to prevent further cardiovascular events by encouraging patients and their partners to become members and take part in regular exercise. BHC has since become a Registered Charity, with running costs paid for by class fees, fundraising, and legacies.

Membership has grown back to 750 since the pandemic, with new rehabilitation classes added for other health conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes and COPD. The club has also seen an increase in members to its 'Keep Well' programme, which encourages people with qualifying medical conditions to self-refer for a health assessment and bespoke exercise schedule.

Trustees and team members from the Bournemouth Heart Club 

One of the Club's more recent and successful collaborations has been with UHD's Diabetes Team. The ‘Refocusise’ exercise and education classes that run regularly mean that Dorset is the only primary health care provider in the UK to have both Cardiac and Type 2 Diabetes rehabilitation programmes running within the same county.

Another joint venture with the UHD Upper GI Cancer Team has seen funding from NHS Dorset for a pilot scheme aimed at the pre-habilitation of 20 cancer patients undergoing treatment or prior to their surgery, with Macmillan Cancer Support funding specialist training for two club instructors to assess patients and manage their exercise programmes.

BHC Treasurer, Nigel Priest, said: “While I’m delighted that we are announcing positive results for the Charity, we cannot be complacent and are aiming to reach a target of 1000 exercising members by 2026. Also running a timetable of over 40 classes, 6 days a week across two gymnasiums requires constant investment in trained specialist staff and state of the art exercise equipment, so we are still very grateful for the donations and legacies we receive."

"A healthy heart is the most important muscle in the human body, and a lifeline that needs to be regularly exercised. A healthy Bournemouth Heart Club will ensure that it continues to develop as a leading rehabilitation centre for the benefit of people living in Dorset and west Hampshire."