Patients Endorse Home Oxygen Servicem UK

95% of patients in England and Wales are happy with the service they
receive from the Home Oxygen Service, the Department of Health
announced today.



The first annual National Patient Satisfaction Survey of the Home
Oxygen Service, published today, was commissioned jointly by the
Department of Health and oxygen suppliers and is an important measure
of the quality of care patients receive to show satisfaction with the
service.



The Home Oxygen Service supplies oxygen delivered directly to the
home of over 90,000 patients in England and Wales who suffer a range
of conditions including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, lung
cancer and supporting the discharge of premature babies. It provides
equipment and oxygen as well as education and training and 24/7
support for patients.



The survey results show:



- 88% of patients believe that their quality of life has improved
since receiving the service;



- 75% of patients say they speak highly about the service; and



- The helpline provided by oxygen suppliers is the greatest factor in
driving patient satisfaction



Commenting on the results Health Minister Ben Bradshaw said:



"The Home Oxygen Service plays an important role in improving quality
of life for thousands of patients with a wide range of conditions. 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."



The National Patient Satisfaction Survey is the first measure of
patient satisfaction since the service was modernised in February
2006. The new integrated service means that all patients' needs are
met by one supplier in each area to provide better support at home.
It also offers greater access to the latest equipment and expert
knowledge of latest oxygen technologies.



Patients who have been receiving the oxygen since before February
2006 also have similar or higher levels of satisfaction than newer
patients, reflecting the success of the new service.



The Department of Health will continue to work together with oxygen
suppliers to improve satisfaction with regards to the convenience of
oxygen deliveries and confidence that oxygen will be delivered on
time.



1. The full results of the Home Oxygen Service National Patient
Satisfaction Survey can be found at homeoxygen.nhs.uk



2. A postal survey was sent to a representative sample of 4,800
patients from over 80,000 service users. A total of 3,065
questionnaires were returned representing a response rate of 66%. The
represent a very high response rate for a survey of this kind. The
profile of respondents closely matches the patient population, giving
confidence that the attitudes expressed in the survey are
representative



3. All patient needs are met by a single supplier in each service
area, providing an integrated service to patients and clinicians. The
home oxygen service is provided through eleven regional contracts in
England and Wales, and is delivered by three suppliers:



- Air Products: North West, Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands, West
Midlands, North London, Wales


- BOC: Eastern England and South West


- Air Liquide : North East, South London, South East


Department of Health
, UK