Residents' Alarm over Oxygen Supplies

11.06.44am GMT Tue 21st Feb 2006

Some local residents who depend on oxygen cylinders from the NHS are very concerned that reorganisation of the arrangements is resulting in serious disruption of vital supplies.

Vincent Cable MP has written to Secretary of State, Patricia Hewitt, to ask her to intervene after a Hampton Hill resident found that she could no longer rely on getting regular supplies of cylinders to her home. There are other cases across the country of people dying because supply arrangements have broken down.

Vincent Cable said that: "someone in the NHS has had the bright idea of saving a bit of money by breaking up the arrangements, which have operated for decades, and farming out the business to competing suppliers. Unfortunately, no one checked how many patients are in need of oxygen supply at home or whether the new companies could meet their needs. GPs are being asked to sort out the mess. In the meantime, a lot of local people with respiratory disorders are in a state of considerable anxiety."