THOUSANDS of people across the North West are already benefitting from the roll out of pulse oximeters and NHS leaders are calling for the most vulnerable people to come forward for the service in order to help them manage COVID-19 at home and keep their minds at ease.

The free service, which has already been offered to around 40,000 people in the North West is part of ongoing plans to help people manage COVID-19 effectively at home, and is available to people who are:

• diagnosed with COVID-19: either clinically or positive test result and
• symptomatic and either
• aged 65 years or older or
• under 65 years and at higher risk from COVID-19, or where clinical judgement applies considering individual risk factors such as pregnancy, learning disability, caring responsibilities and/or deprivation..

A pulse oximeter is a small medical device that is put on the tip of the finger, to check someone’s oxygen levels.

Pulse oximeters measure blood oxygen levels by transmitting light through a finger andare more accurate than smart watches or phones which make less accurate readings by reflecting light off the skin. It helps spot any deterioration earlier to allow for treatment which could halt someone’s condition from worsening.

Brigid Badger, 69, from Wirral was offered a pulse oximeter after returning from holiday with COVID-19.

Brigid said: “I’m over 65 and I have asthma which doesn’t affect me too badly and I got a text message from the surgery asking if I’d like to use the pulse oximeter at home.

“I’m fine now and I felt okay at the time despite having COVID-19 but I’d heard your oxygen levels can drop and you might not be aware. I didn’t want to be a burden, but I’d rather have got it checked out and it’s better safe than sorry.”

Brigid received a text message each morning asking her to reply with her blood oxygen reading from the pulse oximeter so she could report the readings back to her GP.

“It was very easy, I got the message to join up and so I took it and would recommend others to do so. It was reassuring to see the numbers each day and know it wasn’t getting worse throughout the two weeks I had the oximeter.”

Steve Barnard, Lead for COVID Oximetry @home in the North West, said: “People all over the country are benefitting from pulse oximetry after contracting COVID-19. Whether you are 65 or over, pregnant or clinically extremely vulnerable, we would urge you to consider coming forward and using this service if you contract COVID-19. This will enable us to monitor your progress and make sure you continue to get better.

“It’s really important people know how easy it is to access the pulse oximetry @home service and to reach out to their GP and ask them about it if they contract COVID-19.”

The service is usually offered by general practice working alongside community teams. People are provided with a pulse oximeter and supporting information to monitor their oxygen saturation levels at home for up to 14 days, supported by carers and/or family members where appropriate.

People are offered regular prompts or check-ins to ensure they are confident in using the oximeter and that they know what to do if oxygen levels fall below normal levels. A patient diary and instructional video is available.

Clear guidance on what to do in case of any concerns (either via contacting the GP, 111 or attending A&E in case of emergency) is provided, with 24/7 access to advice and support.

If, after 14 days of the onset of symptoms, patients show no signs of deterioration with coronavirus, they are appropriately discharged from the service and given advice on returning the oximeter safely, and how to continue supporting themselves at home.