NHS hospital treatment costs are escalating as a result of which more patients will need to be treated at home.

Unfortunately some significant Health and Safety issues can arrise with treating patients in the comfort of their own homes.

One such issue concerns those patients who require either Oxygen or Entonox gas cylinders. Untill recently there has been little choice but to use bulky gas cylinder trolleys or permanently store the gas cylinders upright on the floor.  Tall heavy gas bottles are at risk of  toppling over, a serious risk especially if there are young children present.  Patients or home owners would be naturally reluctant to chain these tall cylinders to walls or furniture.   Also gas cylinder trolleys can be awkward to manoeuvre, can scuff and mark floor surfaces and can be notoriously difficult to clean,  noisy to use at night and bulky to store securely etc.

The ParaSkate (a recent British invention) is an elegantly simple mechanical clip that exploits the force of gravity to safeguard tall gas bottles. The ParaSkate is compact,  light weight, low cost and is Eco friendly- reducing the use of scarce resources.

If the comments of Lord Darzi, the surgeon and former UK Health minister, are to be adopted then maybe the ParaSkate might play it’s part in helping patients live a dignified life in the comfort of their own home.