HEART failure patients from across north and west Cumbria are to benefit from a new service at the area’s two main hospitals.

North Cumbria University Hospitals Trust, which runs The Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven, has recruited four specialist heart failure nurses to work at both sites.

From July 25, they will work in all the hospitals’ wards, reviewing those patients who have been diagnosed with heart failure.

Hospital bosses say this means the nurses will review patients at an earlier stage in their illness and provide a management plan of care tailored to each individual patient.

The service aims to make sure they are on the right medications to improve their symptoms.

The role also includes providing education and ways for patients and their families to detect any early deterioration in their condition.

The service will be led by Caroline Shaw, who has been a sister in the Heart Centre at the Cumberland Infirmary since it opened in 2011 where she helped set up and develop successful cardiac services.

Caroline and her team – Debbie Purdue, Wendy Wardle and Judith Easton – will be introducing the new service across hospital wards over the next few weeks.

They will also ensure patients have regular ongoing follow-up after discharge from hospital, working with GPs and community services to minimise readmissions to hospital.

Debbie, Wendy and Judith have all come from heart failure nursing backgrounds, having worked in hospitals and the community previously.

All three nurses have been recruited from previous jobs either at North Cumbria or other Cumbria NHS Trusts.

Caroline said: “I have a very experienced team of nurses working with me enabling us to provide the high quality care and support that our Cumbrian heart failure patients need.

“We look forward to working closely with the staff at both hospitals ensuring that a quality service is provided for all.”

Dr Roger Moore, clinical director for Cardiology, said: “This is a fantastic development for the Trust as it means that patients with heart failure will receive specialist care on the wards.

“We expect to see more timely diagnosis of heart failure as a result of this development and patients’ management significantly improved.”