Written question asked by Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party) on Monday, 17 July 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 20 July 2006. It was answered by Paul Goggins (Labour) on Thursday, 20 July 2006 on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office.

Domicilary Oxygen Supplies

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were dependent on a domiciliary oxygen system in their home in (a) 1995 and (b) 2005.

Answer: Those patients who are dependent on an oxygen system in their home, requiring long-term oxygen therapy i.e. 15 hours or more a day over a prolonged period are normally prescribed an oxygen concentrator. It is also considered to be economical for those requiring a minimum of eight hours oxygen a day to be prescribed an oxygen concentrator.Central Services Agency (CSA) records report that in 1997 (earliest information available) 31 patients were being managed on a concentrator (with 19 of these in possession of a back-up cylinder/giving set). In 2005, 1,566 patients were being managed by a concentrator and 1,279 of these had a back-up cylinder/giving set.

Secondary information