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The British Heart Foundation has been forced to triple the number of nurses working on its helpline amid soaring NHS waiting lists.
The charity said that it has increased the number of cardiac nurses working on its Heart Helpline to 14 after a 75 per cent surge in callers in February compared with the same month last year.
It comes as the NHS waiting list for heart care rose to more than 400,000 at the end of January, according to analysis of the latest data.
The number waiting for heart tests, operations or procedures is now double the 203,893 it was in February 2021.
More than 3,550 people were in touch with its information and support service in February, the charity said, with most people concerned about being unable to get a diagnosis or appointment for a heart problem, or worried about new and changing symptoms.
As well as people waiting for appointments with heart specialists, the charity estimates that there are tens of thousands more waiting for a GP referral, regular check-up with a specialist, or for aftercare such as cardiac rehabilitation.
Chloe MacArthur, the helpline nurse lead at the British Heart Foundation, said it had “never been busier”.
She said: “More people than ever are in desperate need of support – whether they have a heart problem or want to help someone who does.
“It’s concerning that so many people we speak to are facing stressful and often frightening delays to their time-sensitive heart care.”
Ms MacArthur said that last month one person had called because they were experiencing “a 72-week wait for heart surgery, which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago”.
She said: “We’re also hearing that people are putting off seeking help because they don’t know the symptoms of potentially life-threatening heart and circulatory conditions.”
There are 7.6 million people in the UK with a heart or circulatory disease.
The Heart Helpline is staffed by experienced cardiac nurses who are able to address questions and concerns about heart health, including translating medical jargon and offering diet and lifestyle support.
An NHS spokesman said: “While the pandemic inevitably had an impact, hardworking NHS staff across the country are making good progress on the NHS’s elective recovery plan, with the overall waiting list for elective care coming down for the fourth month in a row despite significant pressure on services.
“Boosting capacity for cardiac care remains crucial and innovations like surgical hubs, virtual wards and at-home monitoring devices are helping to increase capacity and speed up treatment for patients, while thousands more people are now being supported to manage high-risk conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol more effectively than before the pandemic, reducing the likelihood of heart attack or stroke.”