NHS Oxygen: Who Actually Gets It #medical #nhs

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]But there is something even more important you need to understand because the criteria for who actually qualifies for oxygen on the NHS, it's not what most people expect. And if you have ever been told your oxygen levels are fine, you need to stay with me for this next part. Here is what you actually need to know about NHS oxygen. We use NICE guidelines to determine who receives long-term oxygen therapy, what do you call [music] L dot, and the criteria are very specific. It is not about how breathless you feel. It is about a number in your blood. We measure something called arterial blood gas, an ABG, not the little clip on your finger.

[00:00:38]That is PO2 finger reading is useful for screening, but it is nowhere near accurate enough to prescribe a drug this powerful. We need the actual pressure of oxygen dissolved in your blood, your PAO2. The threshold for L dot is PAO2 below 7.3 kilopascals. In plain terms, your blood oxygen pressure is chronically, dangerously low, and your body is quietly being starved of oxygen even while you are sitting completely still. But there are two rules most people don't know.