SERVICE CHANGES - FEB 1ST 2006 AND OCTOBER 1 2006
As of Feb 1st 2006, the way oxygen is provided to people at home is changing. Home oxygen will be provided directly by companies. Pharmacies will NOT be providing oxygen any more. These changes affect England and Wales only. And the providers were given new areas on OCTOBER 1 2006.
Everyone who uses oxygen at home should have been contacted by their supply company by now. It is very important to complain to them or your GP if this is not the case.
ALLIED RESPIRATORY WAS THE SUBJECT OF A WATCHDOG REPORT - HERE IS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE PROGRAMME COPIED FROM THE BBC WATCHDOG WEB SITE.
9 January 2007 - WATCHDOG
Emily Thackray, 22, has cystic fibrosis. She must take an oxygen supply with her when she goes out, to help her breathe. Thackray used to get portable oxygen cylinders from her local pharmacy, but in February 2006, the Department of Health privatised the home oxygen service. Contracts were handed to four companies to deliver oxygen straight to patients' homes. For the first few months after the change over, Thackray didn't receive any oxygen cylinders from the company that had taken over her area - Allied Respiratory. And nearly a year after the change, Watchdog reveals how the patients of Allied Respiratory continue to suffer serious problems. Thackray had promised herself she'd make the most of her time while she was still well enough to go out, knowing she may not have long to live. But without oxygen cylinders, she's housebound. The deliveries continued to be completely unreliable. She feels because of Allied Respiratory, precious months have been taken away from her.Tony Holloway, 66, has the life-threatening condition pulmonary fibrosis. He's also had constant problems with Allied Respiratory's deliveries. Cylinders didn't arrive when they were meant to, and even when they eventually arrived, they were never the amount prescribed. This has left him feeling like a prisoner in his own home.Lisa Muscutt, who also has cystic fibrosis, feels she's fighting a company that doesn't understand her needs. As well as problems with deliveries of portable cylinders, she's also had faulty equipment from Allied Respiratory. On one occasion, a brand new, sealed canister was completely empty. These are people with potentially only months left to live, yet whose final days are being ruined by a company employed by the government to make their lives easier. Allied Respiratory says it unequivocally apologises for any stress or inconvenience to patients. It says it's supplying to substantially more patients than originally forecasted, and that caused inevitable delays. It has now sourced new oxygen cylinders, and doubled its staff, delivery vehicles, as well as total investment, which it says has led to major improvements in service levels.The Department of Health says the new service was introduced to improve standards. All its suppliers of oxygen are required to meet the same standards as the NHS in resolving complaints. Where there's continuing dissatisfaction, it would want to see this resolved as quickly as possible through the complaints procedures managed by local Primary Care Trusts.
I understand there have been some improvements in the service the above company since Watchdog broadcast this programme but still problems exist. I will monitor the situation again.
However, I will deal with Air Products. It appeared that they have had difficulties in supplying equipment to all oxygen users earlier this year but arrangements were made by local pharmacies to ensure continuity of supply.
However as of October 1 2006, Air Products handed back South West regions to BOC. They say that the original estimates of oxygen useage were severely underestimated by the NHS and that they did not as a consequence have enough cylinders! The NHS deny this. The hand-over affecting the South - West of England occurred on October 1 2006. At present customers are already being supplied with BOC cylinders. Any people affected adversely by the change of supplier should contact their local PALS (see FINDING OUT).
Concentrators will be supplied to patients on LTOT (Long Term Oxygen Treatment) or have useage requirements when moving around their home or garden above a certain limit. Last time I heard that limit would be at least 2 hours. The following is the Air Products concentrator (note that it is the same as BOC pictured later on) - the biro gives an indication of size. The electricity is paid for by the NHS. And as important is the fact that that the length of tubing will be long enough for you to move around the house and garden. The BOC concentrator is exactly the same as the one below, with an additional bacterial filter.
The picture on the right is a portable cylinder lasting just under 4 hours from AIR PRODUCTS , without a conserver.and weighing just 3.2 kilogrammes. A conserver, delivering oxygen when you breathe in only, will make it last up to 17 hours. BOC provide a similar large CD cylinder/ However, I was talking to a physiotherapist in charge of pulmonary rehabilitation at a major hospital, and she said that these cylinders were far too heavy for most of her patients. In addition the new Sequoia conservers no longer need that nasty clip to secure one of the tubes - this has caused so many problems in the past for elderly people.
BOC or VITALAIR will supply a similar CD cylinder to the above but also a light weight cylinder around 2.6 kilogrammes.
ABOVE PICTURE : CD CYLINDER ON RIGHT _ FREEDOM 300 ON LEFT.
However, you may have to complete a new HOOF form at your GP to receive the latter. Contact BOC to find out. I now have received these and find them excellent when used with a conserver. They are known as the FREEDOM 300 cylinders and yes produced by Air Products!! There is a waiting llist for the latter unless you have already been supplied with them. (as of April 19 2007).
You will also have to ask your GP for approval for a conserver to make your oxygen cylinders last longer.
If you live in areas still served by Air Products they are supplying suitable customers with the HELIOS liquid system. More about this later or just type HELIOS into your browser. BOC have merged with LINDE and our European neighbours will receive the HELIOS but have no intention of rolling it out in the UK. I am campaigning for this to change since the HELIOS system produces really light cylinders for the frail.
If you think that 3.2 kilogrammes is heavy, the picture above shows what was available in the 1920s. The man is carrying 4 cylinders on his back weighing over 20 kilogrammes. This was enough for just 5 hours. The photograph appeared in "The Crystal Horizon" by Reinhold Messner but I have no idea who the original photographer was.
FOR EXCITING PORTABLE CONCENTRATOR SYSTEMS FOR PURCHASE SEETRAVEL
THIS IS THE NEW SYSTEM
However I do not recommend it for patients needing a high flow of oxygen to move about. I cannot walk uphill with this system for example. There are other portable systems for purchase.
IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE PLEASE WRITE IN WITH YOUR COMMENTS
AP still covers the N West Yorkshire East and West Midlands Wales and North London regions
your supplier is Air Products, tel: 24/7 Freephone Helpline 0800 37 35 80
If you live in: Hampshire; Isle of Wight; Kent; Medway; South East London; South West London; Surrey; Sussex; Thames Valley
your supplier is Allied Oxycare/Medigas, tel: 24/7 Freephone Helpline 0500 82 37 73
If you live in: Bedfordshire; Cambridgeshire; Essex; Herts; Norfolk; Suffolk and the south-west your supplier is BOC, tel: 24/7 Freephone Helpline 0800 13 66 03
If you live in: County Durham; Northumberland; Tees Valley; Tyne & Wear
your supplier is Linde Gas, tel:
24/7 Freephone Helpline 0808 202 09 99
If you have any other questions, please call the BLF helpline on 08458 50 50 20, Mon - Fri, 10am - 6pm