Early Insights from the Pumping Marvellous Home-Based Digital Cardiac Rehabilitation for Heart Failure in the UK

Abstract Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) uptake for heart failure (HF) in the UK remains low at around 15%, with evidence of disparities based on sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, availability of staffing and financial constraints. We analysed data from the Pumping Marvellous Foundation online home CR programme to understand who accesses this service and whether inequities persist, to help guide strategies to achieve equitable rehabilitation delivery. Methods The PMF online home CR platform was launched in August 2024 along with an educational booklet available for order (at no cost) by HF or CR teams. We analysed anonymised data (n=673) of registrants from August 2024 to July 2025. Variables analysed included demographics, ethnicity, deprivation index, HF type based on ejection fraction, referral source, time since diagnosis and prior CR participation. We also analysed CR booklet orders and assessed correlation with HF admissions as per national HF audit data. Descriptive statistics summarised distributions. Results 673 participants (median age 62 years; IQR 18 to 90 years, 12% aged >76 years) registered for the online CR classes from August 2024 to July 2025. The majority (63%) were women, and 6% were from minority ethnic communities. 35% of registrants had either mildly reduced (HFmrEF) or preserved (HFpEF) ejection fraction. 30% of referrals were from HF or CR teams, 29% obtained information via social media, and around 25% obtained information directly from PMF groups. There were also direct referrals from GPs (4%) and around 10% obtained referral information via Google search or YouTube. Analysis of the time since HF diagnosis demonstrated late entry to CR: 343 (51%) registered >12 months post-diagnosis, 88 (13%) within 3 months, and 130 (19%) within 6 to 12 months. Only 38 (6%) reported any prior CR participation. We also correlated CR booklet orders from hospitals with National HF Audit HF admissions. Within the limitations of the spread of the scatter, there was a general positive relationship: hospitals with more HF admissions tended to order more booklets. 33% of registrants came from the top 20 most deprived cities in England. Conclusions By providing free lifetime access to online cardiac rehabilitation, widening the access of cardiac rehab to more women and people without access to standard cardiac rehabilitation (due to staffing, cost constraints, accessibility issues) and reaching areas with socio-economic deprivation, the PMF online cardiac rehab platform can help to increase CR uptake and reduce the inequity in access to CR in the UK.