Cardiac Specialist Nurse Team (NHS Western Isles)

The Cardiac Specialist Nurse Team provides the following services:

• Heart Failure Service: Care and management of people living with Heart Failure with reduced ejection fraction.
• Cardiac Rehabilitation Service: Following a cardiac event such as ‘heart attack’ or cardiac surgery, or for those identified as being at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
• Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH) Service: This service identifies and treats people who have FH – a genetic cause of high levels of cholesterol, and carries out ‘cascade testing’ of the family members of people affected by FH.
• Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic: A ‘one-stop’ diagnostic clinic to diagnose and treat Stable Angina.

Referral Method:

• Heart Failure Service - Referral by GP, Consultant, or other healthcare professional following diagnosis of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction.


• Cardiac Rehabilitation Service - Referral by any healthcare professional following diagnosis of Heart Attack, Angina, Heart Failure or following Cardiac Surgery i.e. bypass surgery or valve surgery, following implantation of a Cardiac Defibrillator, diagnosis of FH, or identified by healthcare professional as being at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease using a screening tool.


• Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Service - Referral by healthcare professional for assessment for genetic testing, or process of ‘cascading’ relatives of people known to have FH.


• Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic - Referral by GP or Consultant.