Changes to the home oxygen provision service in the UK

What's in this issue?

“…The UK Department of Health commissioned a review of oxygen prescribing which was published in 1996 and which contained strong recommendations for changing the system. The editorials by Pearce [18] and Goldstein [19] in this issue discuss the rationale for prescribing and the methodology in place for implementing changes in the home oxygen provision service in the UK from February 1st 2006. Responsibility for ordering long term oxygen therapy (LTOT) will no longer rest with GPs.…”

Home oxygen therapy: the Canadian perspective

“…It is very encouraging to learn of a health service making a concerted effort to improve its clinical effectiveness, as reported by Pearce in this issue of the Primary Care Respiratory Journal [1], especially when a new system follows reports authored by pre-eminent healthcare professionals interested in their patients receiving the maximum benefit from long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) [2]. Since there has been a longstanding issue in the UK regarding the limitations of providing ambulatory oxygen, it would seem that at least one important component of chronic disease management will be resolved as from February 1st 2006.…”