New oxygen contract is a risk to patients, says PSNC
Domiciliary oxygen: advantages of the present system have been overlooked |
The introduction of new arrangements for the supply of oxygen to patients at home could compromise patient care, according to the Pharmaceutical
Services Negotiating Committee.
Commenting on the new contracts awarded to four companies across England
and Wales, announced this week, PSNC chief executive Sue Sharpe said: “We
have strong reservations about the decision to introduce new arrangements
for the supply of domiciliary oxygen. We welcome the introduction of
more technically advanced equipment that can increase mobility and ease
of use for patients, but we have expressed forcefully our view that the
service will become far less easy and convenient for patients to use
than the present arrangements.”
Mrs Sharpe said that the advantages of the present system have been ignored
by the Government and added: “There is a real risk that patient
care will be compromised as the service transfers to the new contractors
unless comprehensive measures are introduced to facilitate the handover.”
The National Pharmaceutical Assocation also expressed concerns about
the new arrangments. Colette McCreedy, director of pharmacy practice,
NPA, said: “Not only have the advantages of the present systems
been ignored by the Government but no acknowledgement has been given
of the excellent job pharmacists have done over many years — even
with less technically advanced equipment.”
She said that the new service’s 24-hour, seven-days-per-week coverage
will be difficult to achieve in all circumstances, particularly in rural
areas. “We need reassurance that neither patients nor pharmacists
will be compromised during the transition and implementation of these
new arrangements,” she added.
The PSNC has written to the Department of Health asking for urgent resolution
of outstanding issues, including the arrangements for terminating the
current community pharmacy-based service.
One unresolved issue centres on who will pay for equipment needed by
patients who need to start treatment with domiciliary oxygen before the
new contracts come into operation. Although pharmacy contractors are
likely to be partly compensated for oxygen headsets they lend to existing
patients, the DoH has no intention of fully reimbursing them for any
new headsets they have to buy for new patients.
The DoH view is that any new headsets required are the responsibility
of primary care trusts, which should either broker the transfer of spare
sets from other contractors or buy them themselves. Because of this,
the PSNC has told contractors that they should not buy any new headsets,
but should ask PCTs to provide them.
Under the new contracts, both hospital doctors and GPs will be able to
order oxygen treatment, which will have to be provided within a set response
time. Currently, hospital doctors cannot order home oxygen treatment.
The new regional contract holders are Air Products, Allied Oxycare/Medigas,
BOC and Linde.
Health minister Jane Kennedy said that the new arrangements will give
patients round-the-clock access to expert advice and support and the
latest equipment, including lighter cylinders, smaller, more efficient
concentrators, liquid oxygen and, for the first time, portable systems. |
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