Global guidance for the delivery of Cardiopulmonary Rehab

In the past year, the World Health Organization published its very first global guidance for the delivery of Cardiopulmonary Rehab – see here.

Prof John Buckley FBASES of Keele University, and a member of the BASES Clinical Exercise Physiology UK Group, was one of 11 members from around the world on the authorship group, the only sport and exercise scientist and sole member from the UK.

Commenting on the work undertaken and the publication of the WHO guidance, Prof John Buckley FBASES said, “This is one of those unexpected or unplanned opportunities that comes along in one’s career, that I can’t see how it could be topped. It has to be the pinnacle point for me, and I’m pleased it happened later in my career, so I don’t have to worry about searching for anything better before the end of my career – whenever that is.”

When asked about what he thought was the route that may have led to such an opportunity at WHO, John replied, “When I set up my own exercise and physio business in the late 80s in Shrewsbury, following completion of my MSc at Loughborough, I clearly remember setting the goal to want to provide the leading services for exercise referral and cardiovascular rehab in Shropshire, and I can honestly say all other opportunities flowed from that. I didn’t really set any other main goals like that again. The recognition of this work in Shropshire found its way to the leaders of BASES in the mid-1990s through the Applied SES Accreditation scheme, which was seen by the likes of Andy Smith, Adrian Taylor, Clyde Williams, Roger Eston and Tom Riley. They then provided opportunities, support and encouragement to help me represent BASES to link with the likes of the British Association for Cardiac Rehabilitation, where I found myself setting up the BACR Exercise Professionals Group in 2001 in partnership with the CSP Physios in Cardiac Rehab, and the BACR Exercise Instructor Network. Somehow this led to me being invited to consider being a member of BACR Council and then invited to consider being their President in 2009-2011. On completion of my BACPR Presidency, I had a 2-month sabbatical at UBC in my hometown of Vancouver, Canada, and part of this I was able to connect with their Cardiac Rehab society the CACR. Within two years we had set up, along with the US AACVPR, a new International Council for CV Prevention and Rehab (ICCPR) under the auspices of the World Heart Federation, a cardiology wing of the WHO. The final story from this point forward is hopefully obvious.”