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. 2017 Sep 18;4(1):e000223. doi: 10.1136/bmjresp-2017-000223
Quality statement 1 All patients should have home oxygen assessments carried out by a home oxygen assessment service that includes appropriately trained staff and appropriate equipment.
Rationale The assessment and provision of home oxygen therapy requires expert knowledge and should be implemented by staff who have been adequately trained.
Equipment used to assess patients for home oxygen should undergo regular calibration quality control checks to ensure they are of the highest quality.
Where possible, patients initiated on home oxygen should have their baseline assessment of flow rate carried out using similar oxygen equipment to the equipment they will be receiving at home.
Where possible patients should be offered oxygen equipment that is best suited to their individual needs.
Quality measure Structure:
  • Evidence that staff undertaking home oxygen assessments have undergone appropriate training, with evidence of ongoing CPD.

  • Evidence that equipment used during assessments has had regular quality control checks.

Process:
  • Proportion of staff undertaking appropriate training.

  • Proportion of equipment that has been adequately checked.

Numerator 1:
  • The number of staff that have demonstrated completion of appropriate training for performing home oxygen assessments with evidence of ongoing continuing professional development.

Denominator 1:
  • The number of staff undertaking home oxygen assessments.

Numerator 2:
  • The number of medical devices used during a home oxygen assessment that have undergone a quality control check within the last 12 months.

Denominator 2:
  • The number of medical devices used during a home oxygen assessment.

Description of what the quality statement means for each audience Service providers:
  • Ensure that all medical devices used during an assessment (including diagnostic equipment and oxygen delivery devices) must undergo regular annual quality control checks.

  • Ensure all staff maintain continuing professional development.

  • Service providers should ensure that a wide range of assessment equipment is available to cater to individual needs.

Healthcare professionals:
  • Healthcare professionals undertaking oxygen assessments must ensure they have undergone appropriate training and have maintained this expertise through continuing professional development.

  • Healthcare professionals should ensure that they are able to identify equipment suitable for patients.

Commissioners:
  • Ensure that staff undertaking home assessments have access to, and funding for, appropriate training programmes.

  • Ensure that equipment used during oxygen assessments has undergone regular quality control checks.

  • Ensure processes are in place to check staff and equipment standards are met and to address training and quality issues when they are not. The service specification should reflect these quality standards.

People who require home oxygen:
  • Are offered a high-quality service staffed by trained healthcare professionals using quality control checked equipment.

Source references BTS Guideline for Home Oxygen Use in Adults (2015).3
There are no national standards or competencies.