The Home Oxygen Service

What does our service do?

The Home Oxygen Service provides an assessment service for adults who have or may need oxygen therapy at home. The service helps to ensure that individuals have appropriate oxygen for their needs.

We deliver the service in partnership with University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.

Patients are generally prescribed home oxygen because their blood oxygen level is low. This can potentially damage their health. The main purpose of home oxygen treatment is to raise the blood oxygen to a level that prevents such harm. It also helps relieve breathlessness and other symptoms of low blood oxygen, such as ankle swelling and blue lips. Currently there are approximately 1,200 adults who have oxygen therapy at home in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

How does our service work?

Individuals who do not have oxygen will have an initial assessment. If this shows that they have low oxygen levels they will then have a second assessment in 3-4 weeks and oxygen may be prescribed after this assessment. Once an individual is on oxygen we will assess how frequently they need to be reviewed. This will usually be at least once a year.

We see patients in community hospitals, at Glenfield Hospital and in their own homes if they are housebound.