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8th April 2008
MSP Reassured Of GCRA Future
North East MSP Alex Johnstone has met in
Edinburgh with David Hekelaar, director of the Grampian
Cardiac Rehabilitation Association (GCRA) and vice chairman
Sue Kinsey to discuss the future stability of the service
they provide.
GCRA is a registered charity and voluntary
association, organised, managed and run by people with
coronary heart disease (CHD), for people with CHD and
c-morbidity health problems. It provides within the
community, cardiac rehabilitation exercise which is the
final stage of the 'NHS patient care pathway to recovery'.
28 Classes are run across the Grampian region every week
with a current membership of more than 500. In the five
years since GCRA was formed more than 750 patients have
benefited from attending the classes.
Mr Johnstone had been contacted by a number
of constituents expressing their concern over the long term
future of the services provided to heart attack victims
Deeside and Strathdon after the organisation failed to
secure lottery funding late last year.
Speaking after the meeting the north east
MSP said, " I am delighted to have received a firm
reassurance that funding is in place to continue this vital
service into the future but I am aware that this will
continue to be dependant on successful fundraising through
grants, sponsorship and the enthusiastic fundraising of the
members.
"I believe that GCRA is another wonderful
example of the voluntary sector delivering real health care
advantages, working in conjunction with NHS Grampian,
motivating those who have suffered heart attacks to work
together in order to achieve rehabilitation and real benefit
for their own health.
"I am only too aware that the classes run
in Banchory, Aboyne and Alford are seen as a vital public
service by those who use them and they deserve the
wholehearted support of politicians and public alike"
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