Free access to ventilators benefits vulnerable Victorians

A collaborative effort by HSV and the Department of Health to distribute medical equipment sourced for the State Supply Chain (SSC) has resulted in positive health outcomes for two Victorians.

Last month 200 Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machines were made available to public health patients at no cost through the SSC. The Department of Health collaborated with HSV’s Customer Engagement team to contact health service customers about the opportunity.

CPAP machines, commonly used to treat obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), were sourced by HSV during the pandemic for use as ventilators for COVID patients, along with essential PPE, medicines and equipment. The Department of Health says local manufacturers were engaged to produce 200 non-invasive CPAP ventilators.

With the SSC now holding sufficient contingency stock, the machines have been made available for pension card holders newly diagnosed with sleep disorders, and those who are financially disadvantaged and in need of a replacement machine. According to the Department of Health, 146 ventilators have been allocated to 16 public health services as a result of the campaign.

A patient from Calvary Health Care Bethlehem with a progressive neurological condition was allocated a CPAP machine after her doctor responded to HSV.

Calvary Health Care Bethlehem is a public hospital in Caulfield specialising in palliative care and neurology.

Calvary Health Care Bethlehem Medical Officer Dr Kanila Perera says his patient has Huntington’s Disease – a rare condition that causes progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain – and an accompanying OSA diagnosis.

Aged in her 50s, the woman struggled with sleep-wake inversion because she had been using an old, noisy CPAP machine that contributed to her waking throughout the night, he says.

“She has had multiple presentations to hospital in the past two years. I had a great deal of difficulty trying to get her re-evaluated for a replacement CPAP machine,” says Dr Perera.

Dr Perera says the woman’s family was under financial strain and could not afford to buy her a new machine.

“Getting access to this new machine will substantially improve her quality of life,” he says.

Yooralla Service Manager Leanne Waylen was also successful in securing a machine for client Maureen Hewitt, who has spina bifida and OSA.

Yooralla is a not-for-profit disability services organisation that supports over 30,000 Victorians living with a disability.

Maureen says she often had to sleep in her chair because she was constantly waking throughout the night. 

The 67-year-old, who was admitted to Western Health’s Footscray Hospital in March, was able to sleep through the night after receiving CPAP therapy. 

According to Leanne, Maureen’s condition has improved significantly since the treatment.

HSV Director Customer Engagement Alfred Matthews says smaller eligible public health services were able to benefit alongside larger hospitals when the CPAP machines became available.

“We were able to reach more of our health service customers with this no-cost opportunity to achieve the best outcomes for their patients,” Alfred says.