What happens when you call the SPOA

A 24/7 telephone service commissioned by NHS England — designed to connect referring clinicians to a Hyperbaric Physician as quickly as possible.

The HBOT Single Point of Access is a 24/7 telephone service commissioned by NHS England. It is designed to get referring clinicians through to a Hyperbaric Physician with minimum delay.

Suspected gas embolism?

Call the HBOT Single Point of Access now

24 hours · 7 days a week

020 4632 2377

This number connects you directly to a Hyperbaric Physician at your nearest NHS-commissioned hyperbaric unit. Brief details are taken, your patient's location is entered into a routing system, and you are connected to the on-call Hyperbaric Physician — usually within a few rings. You do not need to know which unit is nearest.

Step 1 — Call handler answers

The call is answered promptly. Brief details are taken: your name, your contact number and the patient's current location (a postcode is ideal, but not essential). Patient identifiers are not required at this stage.

Step 2 — Routing by patient location

The call handler enters the patient's location into the routing system, which identifies the nearest available NHS-commissioned hyperbaric unit.

Step 3 — Direct connection to Hyperbaric Physician

The call handler connects you directly to the on-call Hyperbaric Physician at that unit, and stays on the line until the Physician confirms they are able to take the call.

Step 4 — Clinical discussion and coordination

The Hyperbaric Physician will discuss the case with you, provide immediate management advice and coordinate assessment, treatment or onward referral as appropriate.

You do not need to find the right unit: If the nearest unit is temporarily unable to accept the patient, the call will be routed to the next nearest available provider. You do not need to make multiple calls or identify a unit yourself.

What to have ready when you call

The Hyperbaric Physician will want to know:

  • What procedure was being performed and what happened.
  • The patient's current clinical state: airway and ventilation status, haemodynamic status (including vasopressor or inotrope use), neurological status (conscious level, pupils, seizures, focal deficits).
  • Whether CPR was required and, if so, whether return of spontaneous circulation was achieved.
  • What actions have been taken to stop further gas entry.
  • What imaging has been performed (CT head and chest, echocardiography). Note: absence of visible gas does not exclude the diagnosis.
  • Whether there are any contraindications or risk factors for transfer or HBOT (pneumothorax status, known bullous lung disease, existing chest drains).
  • Transfer feasibility: critical care escort availability, retrieval status, estimated transfer times.
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