The first patients in B&NES to benefit from a new, at-home treatment for Covid-19 have spoken highly of their experience.

Hundreds of people across the region have so far had their Covid-19 diagnosis treated remotely via the Oximetry@Home service, which monitors the oxygen levels of clinically vulnerable patients through a mobile device.

The collected data is sent to clinical teams for review, who then contact patients if there are any concerns about oxygen levels. Ninety-seven per cent of the 157 patients whoused Oximetry @Home in December 2021 said they would give their experience five stars out of five, with the other three per cent awarding four stars.

Dr Ruth Grabham, Medical Director, said: “When it comes to Covid-19, we know that staying at home is one of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus, so this new service which allows us to care for people in their own homes is just the ticket.

“Not only does Oximetry @Home allow us to keep our beds reserved for the very sickest Covid-19 patients, but it also helps to reduce the number of positive coronavirus patients coming into our hospitals, who could potentially pass the virus on to staff and other patients.”