Patients support home oxygen service

The Department of Health has announced that the majority of patients in England and Wales are happy with the treatment received from the home oxygen service.

In total, 95 per cent of individuals queried said they were happy with the services, with 88 per cent believing their quality of life has improved as a result of treatment received through it.

Furthermore, 75 per cent of patients claim they speak highly about the service, with the greatest factor driving patients satisfaction being the provision of a helpline.

The home oxygen services supplies oxygen directly to the households of 90,000 patients in England and Wales with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as those delivering premature babies.

Ben Bradshaw, health minister, said: “I am very pleased to see such high levels of patient satisfaction and we will use this data to continue to improve the service patients receive.”

He added that the home oxygen service plays a key role in enhancing the quality of life for thousands of patients with a variety of conditions.

In March 2007, Professor Richard Beasley of the Medical Research in New Zealand claimed insufficient clinical evidence exists to justify the use of oxygen therapy in patients who have experienced a heart attack.