PATIENTS battling serious heart conditions have a new way to help manage their condition, as one Irvine resident recently found out.

Jane Lee is one of the first group of patients to be using a specialist device in the comfort of her own home.

Jane Lee was diagnosed with Chronic Heart Failure (CHF) in 2014 and has to be admitted to hospital five times in a short space of time and was referred to the CHF Specialist Nurse Service at University Hospital Crosshouse.

During the treatment, she was offered to join the telehealth programme to help her to monitor and manage her condition.

Mrs Lee was given a small touch screen device called a pod, which is similar to a tablet or smart phone, that asks them simple questions about how they feel every day.

The technology can also take vital signs of information such as blood pressure, oxygen saturation and weight, with the patient’s individual self-management plan included. The results of these tests are uploaded for review by specialist nurses at Crosshouse Hospital and if they are seen to be concerning, the patient is contacted and support or care is provided.

Mrs Lee said: “I had never heard of telehealth or home health monitoring before the nurse spoke to me about it.

“I was a bit nervous about taking my own blood pressure but the nurse explained everything to me and reassured me that I would be able to do it.

“When the technician arrived to install the equipment, he showed me how everything works, and I realised how easy it is to use. It gives me confidence seeing the results and knowing that my nurse is checking them daily.

“Using the equipment every day means I can keep an eye on my weight.

“If my weight creeps up with no explanation, I know I have to increase my medication to bring it back down.

“This also helps me to manage my diabetes which is a big benefit to me.” To find out more about self-management of conditions, visit Care and Support North Ayrshire at www.carena.org.uk/ or Living it Up at https://portal.livingitup.org.uk/.