Pioneering Respiratory Care: Rapid Evaluation of Pulse Oximetry
At the University of Birmingham, we are committed to advancing healthcare through cutting-edge research and innovation. The BRACE Centre is at the forefront of this mission, leading a rapid evaluation of pulse oximetry technology to enhance respiratory care and improve patient outcomes.
Pulse oximeters are increasingly used in care homes. This is supported in a variety of ways by the NHS, including supplying pulse oximeters, and providing information about how to use them, and how to respond appropriately when the oximeters reveal danger signs.
This was a collaborative project between BRACE and RSET (a second NIHR HSDR programme rapid evaluation team) with input from NHS England and Improvement (NHSE & I) and from a User Involvement Group.
The project ran from January 2021 to August 2021.
Our Approach
Our Approach
This rapid evaluation aims to capture a snapshot of the current situation and provide swift, actionable insights to enhance respiratory care across the care home sector. We are committed to sharing our findings and informing future NHS support for care homes utilizing pulse oximetry.
Key Questions We're Addressing:
- In what specific scenarios are pulse oximeters being used in care homes?
- What factors facilitate or hinder the effective use of pulse oximeters in care homes?
- How can the NHS best empower care home staff and residents in utilizing pulse oximeters for health monitoring?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using pulse oximeters in care homes?
Our Two-Pronged Approach:
- Comprehensive Survey: We reached out to the managers of approximately 15,000 care homes registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to gather a broad understanding of pulse oximetry usage across England.
- In-Depth Interviews: Our researchers conducted interviews with care home managers, staff, and NHS personnel (including GPs and community nurses) at six care homes across England. This qualitative approach provided valuable insights into the real-world experiences and challenges associated with pulse oximetry implementation.
By combining quantitative and qualitative data, we aimed to deliver a comprehensive evaluation that informs evidence-based practices and policies, ultimately improving respiratory care for care home residents.
Our Outputs
Our Outputs
Below is a series of resoucers that have come out of this project.
- An infographic that summaries our study and its key finding
- A report slide deck that covers the key points
- A journal article in EClinical Medicine, March 2022 looks at The impact of remote home monitoring of people with COVID-19 using pulse oximetry: A national population and observational study
- National Institute for Health Research, Health Services and Delivery Research stream (NIHR HSDR) published report in Journals Library Using pulse oximeters in care homes for residents with COVID-19 and other conditions: a rapid mixed-methods evaluation Manbinder Sidhu, Ian Litchfield, Robin Miller, Naomi J Fulop, Barbara Janta, Jamie-Rae Tanner, Giulia Maistrello, Jenny Bousfield, Cecilia Vindrola-Padros, Jon Sussex
- A blog piece by Dr Manni Sidhu that shares the lessons from two independent rapid evaluations of Pulse oximetry in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- A video that expalins what pulse oximeters are and how they are used
Our Team
Our Team
Co-Principal Investigators:
- Professor Robin Miller, University of Birmingham
- Jon Sussex, RAND Europe and NIHR BRACE
Research team:
- Dr Jenny Bousfield, RAND Europe (NIHR BRACE)
- Dr Jo Ellins, University of Birmingham (NIHR BRACE)
- Professor Naomi Fulop, UCL (NIHR RSET)
- Barbara Janta, RAND Europe (NIHR BRACE)
- Dr Ian Litchfield, University of Birmingham
- Giulia Maistrello, RAND Europe (NIHR BRACE)
- Dr Manbinder Sidhu, Project Manager, University of Birmingham (NIHR BRACE)
- Jamie-Rae Tanner, University of Birmingham
- Dr Cecilia Vindrola, UCL (NIHR RSET)
User Involvement Group:
- Alison Meakin
- June Sadd
- Dr Denise Tanner, University of Birmingham