A digital heart failure rehabilitation programme co-developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham has been conditionally recommended for use in the NHS following an evaluation by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
The programme, D:REACH-HF, enables people living with heart failure to complete their cardiac rehabilitation at home, supported remotely by healthcare professionals. NICE has approved the programme for use across the NHS for a three-year period while further evidence is gathered on its long-term impact.
D:REACH-HF is the digital evolution of the evidence-based REACH-HF programme, originally delivered in paper format. The new platform offers a secure online environment that includes education about heart failure, structured home-based exercise, symptom monitoring, and access for family members and carers. A dedicated clinician dashboard allows healthcare professionals to tailor support remotely, improving efficiency and personalisation of care.
Cardiovascular disease affects more than 64 million people worldwide, yet uptake of traditional hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation remains low. In England, only 13 per cent of people with heart failure currently participate in cardiac rehabilitation programmes, despite strong evidence that such interventions reduce hospital admissions and improve quality of life.
The digital format of D:REACH-HF is designed to help address these challenges by widening access to rehabilitation and supporting patients to better manage their condition from home. The programme can be accessed on any internet-enabled device and allows clinicians to view patient-reported data in real time, reducing reliance on patient recall during consultations.
