Theft of medical gas cylinders

With the music festival season approaching, NHS Protect has issued an alert to warn about thefts of medical gas cylinders – and to remind organisations they may be subject to legal action if cylinders are not stored safely and securely.

Thefts have been reported in south-west England and historically there is always a rise in the number of cylinders taken from spring onwards.

NHS Protect said that if stolen cylinders are traced back in an incident of injury or death, trusts may be subject to legal action if they have failed to store cylinders properly.

Please ensure that all gas cylinders are being kept securely at every Trust site and that a risk assessment is carried out to evaluate whether more precautions need to be taken.

If you have a concern about storage, please report it via DATIX. All losses of medical gases must be reported to the police and the Trust has a duty to also inform NHS Protect.

Published 13th March 2015