The South Eastern Trust has launched a new Home Oxygen Service (HOT) to aid adult patients transition from Hospital care to returning to their own home. The HOT service will be operated by a team of highly skilled Respiratory Physiotherapists and Respiratory Nurses who will be able to assess any patient who requires an oxygen assessment before being discharged, including those in the Emergency Department. The team will also be supported by senior staff from Acute, Ambulatory care, Community HOSAR and Respiratory medical colleagues to provide a seamless transition between primary and secondary care.
This unique service will be able to process all the relevant paperwork, write prescriptions, carry out risk assessments, order any equipment that is required for home treatment and arrange onward referrals to additional services to ensure the best possible outcomes for the patients it looks after.
If your patient meets the criteria they will be fully assessed and the outcome of the assessment and all relevant information will then be recorded on edams, the HOT team will complete all necessary prescriptions and arrange delivery of the required equipment. They will also arrange follow up at the HOSAR service if appropriate.
Respiratory Strategic Lead, Gail McKeown who manages this service said, “The HOT service will ensure that our patients will get the best possible care from our experts in oxygen assessment. This will ultimately lead to a smooth transition for patients from their hospital bed to home. Before leaving hospital, each patient will have a risk assessment completed, they will know exactly what equipment is to be delivered to their home and when it is to be delivered, they will know arrangements for follow up and most importantly they will know all the potential hazards involved with oxygen therapy. This should help them feel more in control and reduce the element of fear of the unknown”
Clinical Manager Medical Specialties, Ruth Watson added, “This new service will ensure that every patient requiring oxygen will be supported by clinical experts to ensure that safe and effective care continues after they are discharged from hospital back to their own homes.”