Arrhythmia Alliance and our member organisations hold meetings each year specifically for patients.  The focus is education, providing opportunities for patients to learn from each other, and from medical professionals.

The single biggest patient event each year is Patients’ Day of the annual Heart Rhythm Congress.  Please click below for more information on Patients’ Day 2012, and other meetings: past and future.

 

Patients Day 2012 - The Patient Journey: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Life After

 

 

Thank you to all who attended our third annual Patients Day on Sunday 23 September 2012 at The Birmingham ICC. With over thirty attendees it was our largest yet. Learn more about the topics covered on the day below.

 

Session 1: From Symptom to Diagnosis			Session 2: Life after Diagnosis
10:20 - 10:40	Welcome	Caroline Holmes	13:30 - 13:50	Coping Strategies: Psychological treatments for the arrhythmia patient	Helen Eftekhari
10:40 - 11:00	Living with a Device: A Patient's Story	Jo Brookes	13:50 - 14:10	How do I: Questions for Daily Living	Sue Jones
11:00 - 11:20	Arrhythmias and Your GP: The GP's view	Dr Matt Fay	14:10 - 14:40	Check Ups: What can I expect	Stella Stuart
11:20 - 11:40	Your Consultation: What to Ask	Dr Kim Rajappan	14:40 - 15:00	Support Groups: How they can help	Jean Maloney
11:40 - 12:00	Treatment Options: From Drugs to Procedures	Dr Andreas Wolff	15:00 - 15:15	Summing up and Feedback	Caroline Holmes
12:00 - 12:30	Working Together: Volunteering and Fundraising	Caroline Holmes	15:15 - 16:00	Meet and Chat	All
12:30 - 13:30	Lunch		16:00	Close

 

Patients Day 2011

 

“Superbly paced and lively, keeping me engaged throughout” - feedback from Patients' Day 2011

 

We are delighted that so many of you were able to join us at this important educational event. For those that attended we hope you enjoyed the presentations and opportunity to meet and chat with other patients and careers.

“Superbly paced and lively, keeping me engaged throughout”
“Up to date information”     “New ideas and views”     “Good variety of topics”
“Sharing experiences”

More than 20 patients and carers attended the first Arrhythmia Alliance National Patients Day this year.
The day was a huge success with presentations given by some of the UK’s leading arrhythmia experts on a range subjects covering everything from travelling with an arrhythmia to placing lifesaving equipment in the community.

Sam Shunmoogum from Milton Keynes ICD Support Group gave a very informative talk on how his Patient Support Group has grown and what he believes his success is based on. It well-known that patients benefit from talking to each other about their condition and find comfort in the fact that they are not alone.

Trudie Lobban, MBE, Founder and Trustee of A-A, outlined the ways in which the charity can support the groups both established and aspiring. For more information on how A-A can help you and your group, please contact caroline@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk.

The morning session broke for lunch following Jean Maloney, Arrhythmia Nurse Specialist’s talk on ‘Getting the most from your Arrhythmia Nurse’. Of all the presentations given, this was one of the most useful, offering advice for patients to use before their appointment, ensuring that they ask the questions that are most important to them.

Lunchtime gave the opportunity to share ideas and experiences alongside speaking to the experts in a relaxed and informal environment.

The afternoon session went very quickly, with subjects such as ‘Living with your Device’ and ‘Exercising with an Arrhythmia’. Both sessions providing invaluable advice and prompted a lively question and answer session.

The day came to a close with another opportunity for members to meet and chat; email addresses and telephone numbers were swapped, ideas for future meetings and publications were evolved and a sense of achievement was widely felt.

The first National Patient Group meeting was over, however the work of A-A to support the Patient Groups is only just beginning so that the ideas from the day are taken forward into 2012.

If you would like any further information of how you could become involved in a Patient Support Group or where your nearest group is, please contact caroline@heartrhythmcharity.org.uk.

Click below for copies of the presentations from the meetings

Sam Shunmoogum - How a Patient Group Works for you   View
Trudie Lobban MBE - What A-A Can Do for You   View
Jean Maloney - Getting The Most From Your Arrhythmia Nurse   View
Wendy Adams - Your Guide to Successful Fundraising    View
Joe Eden -  Defibrillators in the Community   View
Andreas Wolff - Exercising with an Arrhythmia   View
Sue Jones - Do's and Don'ts of Travelling   View
Jenny Tagney - Living with Devices   View