NHS Digital is no longer collecting Covid-19 oximetry at home services data as of 1 July, it has announced in a bulletin.
The move is intended to ‘reduce data burden on the workforce’, who now no longer need to submit weekly situation reports.
Alongside this, the daily feed of positive Covid patients will also stop. However, NHS Digital added that oximeters themselves will still be available by request and a new operating procedure for the service would be available ‘shortly’.
CCGs were recommended to set up Pulse oximeter services for the most high-risk patients in November 2020 as part of the NHS’s response to the Covid pandemic.
They were intended to support those at home who were diagnosed with Covid and were most at risk of becoming seriously unwell.
Patients were provided with a pulse oximeter to monitor their oxygen saturation levels at home for up to 14 days.
In a GP Practice Manager bulletin sent on 29 June, NHS Digital said: ‘From 1 July, we will no longer be centrally collecting and reporting on data from Covid oximetry @home services.
‘A national supply of oximeters remains available to support Covid oximetry @home services by request. An updated Covid oximetry @home standard operating procedure will be available shortly. Please contact [email protected] with any queries.’
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