Home Oxygen Service - Introduction & Background

For detailed introductory and background information, please see the following chapters of the HOS Manual

Section A:

• Chapter 2 - Background to the Home Oxygen Service
• Chapter 3 - Aims and Principles
• Chapter 4 - Governance Arrangements
• Chapter 5 - Contract Structure

Background to the Home Oxygen Service

Information from the Department of Health

The Department of Health website has information on the background and historical development of the Home Oxygen Service.  Click here to read this information.

Aims and Principles

Evidence base

The report of a working party of the Royal College of Physicians, entitled 'Domiciliary oxygen therapy services: Clinical guidelines and advice for prescribers', forms part of the evidence base for the design of the Home Oxygen Service.  This report can be purchased from the RCP here.

The British Thoracic Society has published guidelines for the clinical assessment of patients for domiciliary oxygen therapy, based on the report by the RCP.  This is available as a pdf here.

Governance Arrangements

The governance arrangements for the Home Oxygen Service are currently in transition.  More information will be published here once the transition has been agreed (15/05/2007).

Contract Structure

Services

Click here to download the NHS Conditions of Contract

Click here to download the service specification for the Home Oxygen Service