Families claim the postponement of some rehabilitation schemes has left them in the lurch with online alternatives no substitute for the real thing.
Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) hservices were paused in March and patients have been advised that NHS Grampian is “unable to return to delivery of our service as it was before the Covid-19 surge”.
With face-to-face classes cancelled, patients and families were signposted to other resources including a telephone advice line, British Heart Foundation and exercise guides.
But one woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the her father was missing out as he recovers from a heart attack.
She said: “Currently he has had two calls with a CR nurse – he has felt they were great and informative but it does leave me concerned as to the ongoing role of the physios and others involved – when do they see him or advise him?
“He is doing exercises from YouTube via the British Heart Foundation but I’m not sure this is ideal.”
Local politicians have called on NHS Grampian to quickly outline a plan for the commencement of rehabilitation services before patients suffer.
Mark McDonald MSP said: “Rehabilitation services are critical to ensure patients are able to maintain a recovery from their illnesses and conditions.
“The longer the resumption of services is delayed, the more chance there is of people’s health deteriorating, and pressures being created on other areas of the NHS.”
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CPS) also released a stark warning this week amid “deeply concerning” reports of patients missing out on physiotherapy and rehabilitation services because vital spaces were being de-prioritised by Scottish health boards.
Reports from their members across the country revealed that rehabilitation facilities are being used for storage space and meeting rooms.
Kenryck Lloyd-Jones, CPS public affairs and policy manager for Scotland, said: “The reports we are receiving from across Scotland are deeply concerning.
“It seems that not only are physiotherapy and rehabilitation services being slow to restart, they are being moved without relocation plans, downgraded or undervalued.”
A spokesman for NHS Grampian said: “We are in the process of formulating the remobilisation of the service.
“The pause in its delivery, to ensure patient safety during the Covid-19 pandemic, has given us an opportunity to redesign parts of it to ensure patients receive an improved service going forward.
“The majority of the team was redeployed, to support our local Covid-19 response entitled Operation Rainbow, with only one staff member left in the Cardiac Rehab Service to provide ongoing guidance whilst working from home.”
