Oxygen Safety in the Home
Mrs Elaine Pender
Risk Advisor
West Lancs. PCT
First Incident
• Fire occurred in Sheltered accommodation
managed by West Lancashire District
Council at 04.40 on 13th March 2004.
• Elderly lady smoking in bed
• Oxygen concentrator equipment installed in
home
June 2004
• Incident reported to WLPCT by WLDC and
an initial meeting held.
• WLDC unhappy with equipment fitted to
their property without knowledge or consent
• Fire not thoroughly investigated
• Financial compensation for damage to
property requested
Identified problems
• Over 500 Home Oxygen users in West Lancashire
(all age groups)
• WLDC unaware that Oxygen can be and had been
fitted without their knowledge or consent
• Fire Brigade attended a fierce blaze at 04.40. Did
not know Oxygen on premises.
• It required 4 appliances in attendance to control
the fire,
• Elderly neighbours evacuated and now frightened
Second Incident
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•
•
•
•
•
Bed bound patient
Rescued by LF&RS
Source of ignition –cigarette
Patient using oxygen cylinders
80% room damaged
50% of remainder of property damaged
Third Incident
• Facial Burns up nose and in mouth
• Oxygen cylinder
• Mask off/cigarette in other hand
NO FATALITIES YET !!
• 2 properties destroyed
• 3 patients sustained
burns
• No help nationally
• MHRA no action
• NPSA
Prescription Source
• Patients may be
discharged on Oxygen
therapy from the local
hospital
• Patients may be
discharged on Oxygen
therapy from out of area
specialist unit or hospital
• Patient may be
prescribed Oxygen by
the GP.
Oxygen Supply Source
• Oxygen may be
delivered to the patients
home by the pharmacist
• Relatives / Carers may
collect from the
pharmacist
• Delivery by BOC
• Oxygen concentrator
installed
Who is giving the patient the
information ?
•
•
•
•
Not the hospital
Not the GP
Usually the pharmacist
Maybe the oxygen
company.
• Is the information
patient friendly ?
What have we done ?
• Reported it to MHRA
• Reported it to NPSA
• Had across health
economy working
group
• Reported to SHA
• Consulted with
Lancashire Fire and
Rescue
Where are we at ?
• Formal Claim received
and reported to NHSLA.
• Believe this to be a
national problem.
• Anecdotal evidence that
this is not an isolated
incident
• Safety Leaflet produced
New Supplier
• Met with Air Products rep.
• Poor patient information
blue /blue, small font
Keen to take on board all our
recommendations
• On going meetings to
establish best practice
Ongoing Meetings
•
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•
•
With LFRS
Hospital Trust
Local Council
Air Products Supplier
•Churches
•Surgeries
•Hospital
•Road shows
•Health Promotion
•Displays
•District Nurses
•Where ever we can
Targets for the Future
• To ensure all users are aware of the risks
• To provide safety leaflets for all to
understand
• Training to PCT staff by the Fire Service
• Consider air mattresses and their usage