The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7391 p283
11 March 2006

This article
Reprint   Photocopy

  Acrobat Reader

News summary

Related websites
Home Oxygen Service Newsletter archive

New plan for managed oxygen supply exit

In response to the problems in home oxygen supply over the past six week, plans for managed exits of community pharmacies from oxygen cylinder supply are being developed by the four regional home oxygen supplier companies, NHS Primary Care Contracting said last week.

PCC will be working closely with pharmacies and primary care trusts, it said in its weekly home oxygen service update. It acknowledged that Easter, weekend discharges, patient holidays and pharmacy closing times must be taken into account within the plans. In addition, PCC has asked that pharmacists maintain oxygen for patients using low volumes until the new suppliers are able to start supplying these patients: “In order to avoid further service pressures in the transition period, it is also vital that community pharmacists are advised that cylinders must not be withdrawn immediately from patients using low volumes of oxygen until they are safely transferred to the new supplier.”

All suppliers have agreed to reimburse pharmacists in full for unused oxygen cylinders and confirmation letters are being sent by cylinder suppliers to their community pharmacies, PCC said.