DEPRIVED OF OXYGEN

Sick people in need of oxygen are struggling to get supplies since private firms became responsible for supplying to patients' homes. Previously, people obtained their supplies through pharmacists after getting prescriptions from their doctors. The change in policy was meant to improve the service and one benefit is that patients should get oxygen cylinders delivered to their homes. In the East Midlands, Air Products took over the service but it was swamped with 12,500 calls in the first two days of providing the service, creating huge delays. It would usually expect 250 calls for emergency supplies.

Sarah Wrixon, communications manager for NHS primary care contracting, said, "We do realise that, for many patients, it's been a very difficult time and we're incredibly sorry. I do believe that, once the system has settled down, it will be a good system." It could be weeks or months before the problem is solved. Air Products spokeswoman Sarah Pryor said, "It was a significant number of non-emergency inquiries which created a backlog in the system." A spokeswoman for Greater and Central Derby primary care trusts said, "As soon as we were aware there was an issue with the changeover, we stepped in to work with GP practices to make sure these problems were minimised." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, Feb/06)

One woman has died and thousands of people with breathing difficulties are at risk after the breakdown of a newly privatised system to provide oxygen supplies to patients at home. Alice Broderick died while waiting for an emergency delivery of oxygen ordered by a doctor after it took almost nine hours to arrive from the private provider. Hundreds of other patients, including premature babies, who are reliant on daily oxygen to treat their breathing difficulties, have also suffered agonising waits for supplies.

The NHS estimates that 60,000 people require oxygen at home, for pulmonary, heart and cancer problems, although the total is believed to be much higher. The crisis, which is affecting England and Wales, will heighten concerns about the Government’s increasing reliance on the private sector to carry out NHS work. The four companies who supply oxygen are Air Products, Allied Oxycare/Medigas, Linde and BOC. (Source: Times Online, Feb/06)