Heart failure services

The Whittington Hospital Heart Failure Service aims to provide rapid investigation, diagnosis and treatment of patients with suspected and known heart failure.

Outpatient Service

Rapid Access Heart Function clinics have been set up as a one-stop visit, where you will have a consultation with a doctor and/or nurse specialist, have all the necessary tests, and get the results on the same day. You should be prepared to spend several hours in the clinic on your first appointment, and may undergo a number of tests including blood tests, chest x-ray, ECG and echocardiogram (see here for further information about these tests). These clinics are held every weekday.

Inpatient Service

We work closely with our medical colleagues to ensure that all patients admitted to the Whittington Hospital with decompensated heart failure are reviewed and managed by the Heart Failure Service. There are consultant-led Heart Failure rounds several times a week, and we hold a weekly multi-disciplinary meeting to discuss the management of all inpatients. We have access to a wide range of related disciplines, including Cardiac Rehabilitation. If you have a diagnosis of heart failure, please ensure your doctors alert the Heart Failure Team whilst you are an inpatient.

Training and Education

We have a senior Specialist Trainee in Heart Failure, who spends 8 months working with the Service, as part of a Cardiology sub-specialty training programme in Heart Failure. The Trainee is actively involved in all aspects of the Service. We also hold an annual educational meeting for general practitioners, usually in the autumn.

Key Staff

- Dr. Suzanna Hardman, Consultant Cardiologist with an interest in Community Cardiology and Heart Failure, Honorary Senior Lecturer at University College London, Service Lead for Heart Failure and Chair Elect to the British Society for Heart Failure
- Dr. Chee Y. Loong, Consultant Cardiologist with an interest in Heart Failure and Imaging
- Phillipa Vassell-Wright, Heart Function Nurse Specialist
- Sharon Robinson, Cardiac Rehabilitation Nurse Specialist