'NHS approved’ Pulse Oximeter?

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic Pulse Oximeters have been recommended by the NHS as a quick and easy way to measure the oxygen levels in your blood from the comfort of your own home.

During the peak of the pandemic, we noticed that significant amounts of people were searching the web to find a pulse oximeter that had been 'officially' approved by the NHS.

When a company claims that the NHS have approved a product this isn’t strictly true as the NHS is an unbiased entity and will not endorse any products or services. Businesses must not use terminology which implies further involvement with the NHS, such as approved, supported, endorsed, authorised or certified as stated in their NHS identity guidlines¹. 

 Therefore, when searching for a medical device such as a Pulse Oximeter it is important to buy from a credited source & remember to look for the following:

• CE Mark – Check that the Oximeter that you’re buying has a valid CE mark including the 4-digit number. The 4-digit number is there to identify the Notified Body.
• Manufacturers Name & Address – Every product should have the manufacturers name and address included somewhere on their packaging and/or the device itself.
• EC REP – If a products manufacturer is located outside the EU, the EC REP assigned should be clearly shown. This is typically indicated by having an EC REP logo on the product or packaging.
• Technology – It’s important that the technology used in your oximeter has undergone vigorous clinical testing and is proven to work on all skin pigmentations & on skins with low perfusion, such as the elderly.
• Cheaper is not always better – Pulse Oximeters are easily found on auction websites for as little as £5, but these cheaper devices are often proved to be less reliable. It is important to take into consideration the classification of the oximeter and its intended use.  A Class IIB medical device is a higher-level classification of accuracy than that of a low-cost oximeter that is only Class IIA/

At PROACT Medical we offer an extensive range of affordable yet reliable pulse oximetry devices that have undergone in depth testing to ensure they meet industry standards & provide accurate readings to all users.

Find them here: https://www.proactmedical.co.uk/our-products/pulse-oximetry

^{1 https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhsidentity/identity-guidelines/who-cannot-use-the-nhs-identity/}