Dear
Practitioner,
The Department of Health has been working
with the State-wide Equipment Program (SWEP) team at Ballarat Health Services
to provide a centralised process for oxygen supply and ensure we have a secure
supply chain. This will be available from Monday the 8th November
2021. This will support the discharge of Covid positive patients who may still
require oxygen and can be safely managed at home in line with the Medium
Severity Covid Positive Pathway.
The process will allow for central
management of oxygen supply across the state to ensure equitable access in line
with the Health Emergency and Preparedness Response principles.
SWEP have provided a request form available
as an editable PDF that can be emailed to the team with a longer-term online
form to be made available in the near future - the form and further information
is available on our website here.
The high-level process for request for
oxygen will be as per the following;
- Request
to be approved by the treating physician and order request form submitted to
SWEP before 3pm will guarantee next day delivery of oxygen units to the
patient's home
- Health
services need to ensure that there is a support person at the patient's home to
receive delivery
- If
required, portable oxygen can be provided as part of delivery to a patient's home (so that the support person can bring to the hospital when retrieving the
patient) or to referring hospital to support the transport of the patient from
the hospital to home so it's available for the patient when they are picked up
to return home when transferring by private transport
- Health
Service to provide preliminary education to the patient about home oxygen and
home monitoring SWEP team will coordinate home oxygen education about their
oxygen equipment and provide contact details for the equipment
- O2
co-ordinators to liaise with SWEP when oxygen units are no longer required and
SWEP will then arrange collection - Collection form can be found on our website
- Any
communications to be referred to SWEP via swep@bhs.org.au
or via phone 1300 747 937 (1300 PH SWEP)/03
5333 8100 and select 'Covid oxygen program' option
- Any
additional device kits required for patient care e.g. Oximeters/thermometers to
be provided by the referring hospital or as part of current hospital protocol
- The
Department of Health will be invoiced directly by SWEP for the supply via the
new process from the Monday 8th November 2021
- Safer
Care Victoria (SCV) and the Institute for Health Improvement
(IHI) have been partnering with Victorian health services to refine
an evidence-based model of care and accompanying resources to support safe
use of oxygen at home. These resources will ensure appropriate parameters and
processes for the safe use of oxygen in the context of COVID-19. More
information will follow in coming weeks.
- Please
refer to Covid Positive Pathways Program for any additional guidance
If you have any queries you can email SWEP at swep@bhs.org.au
Regards
SWEP Management
