About BOC Healthcare

The UK's leading supplier of medicinal gases and related services to healthcare organisations

BOC Healthcare is the UK's leading supplier of medicinal gases and related services to healthcare organisations. Throughout hospitals, ambulance services, treatment centres, GP surgeries, veterinary and dental practices, a wide range of medicinal gases are used to provide crucial care and improve the lives of patients. 

BOC provides products for almost every hospital department, from nitrous oxide for anaesthesia to liquid helium for cooling the magnets of MRIs. Our services also extend to primary care and increasingly into patients’ homes, through our home oxygen service. 

BOC Healthcare has been a major force behind many important developments. We’ve been instrumental in developing gases like ENTONOX® and in promoting the healthcare profession’s understanding of the clinical benefits of oxygen, HELIOX21 and other gases.

BOC Healthcare offering

BOC Healthcare is focused on the enhancement of patient care, through the provision of the best quality medical gas products and services.

As a leader in this increasingly important field, our goal is to empower healthcare professionals by providing products and services that are designed with patient safety and treatment efficacy in mind. 

Our focus on pharmaceutical quality in the complete supply chain, from the manufacturing facility to the administration to the patient, increases the level of patient safety in hospitals and at home. All of our facilities are licensed by the MHRA following the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) as defined within European legislation. 

All our medical gases hold a Marketing Authorisation (MA) issued by the MHRA. 

More than just gas
We have a comprehensive selection of specialist services that can help reduce the risks associated with using medical gases in a clinical environment. From carrying out a comprehensive audit and detailed risk assessment through to project managing changes or organising staff training, we bring all your medical gas management issues together and offer a complete solution tailored to your needs. 

Customer Service
BOC operates 8 cylinder filling sites, filling around 28,000 cylinders a day, with over 27 distribution sites strategically located to provide nationwide coverage throughout the UK. Our investment in this infrastructure ensures reliable and frequent deliveries to our customers.  Even in an emergency or disaster situation the contingency plans we have in place, ensure that the delivery of medical gases receives the highest priority, and time and time again we have proven our ability to supply in any crisis. 

Wherever our products are used, we are committed to providing the highest level of quality and service and our Customer Service Centre is on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week to advise and assist customers.  

BOC Healthcare is a Linde Company – the global market leader for medical gases and associated therapies.

Patient-focused care

BOC Healthcare is a trusted partner of healthcare providers meeting the clinical needs of their patients, both in hospital and in the community. We develop specialist services to improve the health and welfare of patients. 

An ageing population and a rising prevalence of chronic disease mean that healthcare services are under increasing pressure. Our aim is to help healthcare professionals to provide patient-focused services that are both clinically beneficial and cost-effective. 

In emergency care, our medicinal gases provide immediate life support and enable other life-saving procedures. 

In clinical care, our gases are used throughout the hospital, supporting patients in their journey from diagnosis to treatment. 

BOC is an NHS provider of community healthcare services across the UK. We work in partnership with a range of local and regional organisations, patients, public and other community, and voluntary sector groups to ensure that the services we develop and deliver are safe, patient-focused, responsive and relevant to the local population.   

BOC are committed to continually improving the quality of care that we deliver by promoting evidence-based and innovative care. We have been awarded overall ‘Good’ by the CQC with ‘outstanding’ in the area of ‘caring.’   The services we deliver include:  

  • Pulmonary, Cardiac, heart failure and COVID rehab – face-to-face and virtual offerings 
  • Home Oxygen Assessment and Review (HOSAR) 
  • Respiratory diagnostics  
  • Respiratory physiotherapy 
  • Respiratory speciality supportive discharge 
  • Chronic respiratory disease management 
  • Pre-screening calls/support.

For commissioners please contact: BOC.ClinicalServices@nhs.net for any enquiries. For patients, please discuss with your Health Care Professional regarding services in your area.

Supporting healthcare professionals

We aim to assist and empower healthcare professionals in providing the best possible care for patients and to make medicinal gas administration easier and safer for everyone involved.
BOC Healthcare supports healthcare professionals in a wide variety of clinical settings, in raising and maintaining standards of patient care through:

  • Our focus on pharmaceutical quality control throughout the medicinal gases supply chain, which ensures patient safety, whether in the hospital or at home
  • Our innovative training provision for healthcare professionals, designed to “raise the bar” in professional standards for working with medicinal gases, ensure consistency of knowledge and best practice for safer patient administration
  • The provision of superior gas cylinder packages designed to be safer, easier and more convenient to use
  • Our well-established infrastructure and experience in the provision of home treatment and community services, to maximise outcomes for patients with severe, chronic respiratory conditions.

Supporting innovation in healthcare

BOC Healthcare has a prestigious reputation for leading the market in developing innovative medicinal gas technologies and services, designed to deliver continuous improvements in patient care for a better quality of life. 

BOC Healthcare is reliable, flexible, and responsive to its customer’s needs. A pioneer in technology, innovation and inventiveness, BOC Healthcare works tirelessly to design and engineer products that enhance patient care and meet the unique needs of healthcare professionals.  We have been instrumental in developing and introducing many important innovations to support its customers including:

  • The lightweight integral valve cylinder
  • ENTONOX® (nitrous oxide/oxygen mixture) for pain relief in painful procedures and for mothers during childbirth
  • HELIOX21 medical gas mixture to ease the work of breathing in acute respiratory distress
  • Nitric oxide to improve oxygenation in newborn babies suffering from hypoxic respiratory failure.

We are taking a more active role than ever in patient care and developing superior products for the best clinical outcomes. Our investment in research and development continues, as does our search for new service innovations that add real value for our customers. 

BOC Healthcare is a major exponent of medical research in the UK, supporting studies undertaken by the British Lung Foundation, sponsoring the chair of anaesthesia at Southampton university, as well as managing a major trial of HELIOX21 at St Mary’s hospital, Paddington in London.

Your Partner

To keep ahead of the challenging developments in today’s healthcare market, you need a partner for whom quality, service, efficiency, and cost optimisation are an integral part of customer support. We are there for you to help build your success. 

BOC Healthcare’s unique products and services have been created through partnerships – with customers, regulatory authorities, and key suppliers. In this way, we deliver comprehensive and consistent benefits to you. 

Understanding customer and market needs
Our approach is research-led and we have a proven commitment to supporting medical progress through our research fund. 

Exceptional expertise and resources
Our robust blend of technical, regulatory, scientific, clinical, and commercial capabilities ensures a high degree of success in bringing new products to market. 

A history of success
Over the years we have developed an impressive track record in successfully introducing pharmaceutical innovations such as ENTONOX® for pain relief and HELIOX21 for relieving respiratory distress. 

An impressive logistics capability
We have a truly national network with several manufacturing and distribution sites across the UK. As a Linde company, we have a global presence with operations in over 50 countries. 

A comprehensive clinical presence
We operate in most areas within the healthcare sector. This includes supplying products and services into secondary care, intermediate therapy, home care and the community.

Our mission

Our aim at BOC Healthcare is always to help our customers to achieve and maintain the highest standards in healthcare. 

Working closely with customers for over 125 years, we have always risen to challenges in our pursuit of excellence. Our insight into the issues that shape the reality of our customers drives us to deliver breakthrough products and outstanding services. 

Innovating for customers
Our customers are the reason we exist and are central to our current and future success. BOC Healthcare aims to innovate in every area of our business in order to retain existing customers, attract new customers and enter new markets. 

A passion to excel
We have the commitment and drive to pursue ever-higher standards through continuous improvement and commitment. BOC Healthcare strives for excellence, with the aim of improving every aspect of our organisation, processes and operations.

Empowering people
Our people are given the space to contribute and grow. BOC Healthcare believes in empowering our staff because capable and responsible people create success, both for our customers and our company. 

Thriving through diversity
Diversity results in enriched collaboration and enhanced solutions. BOC Healthcare strongly believes that the diversity of our employees, their capabilities, our global footprint and our range of activities help us to understand the issues and pressures within healthcare and to meet our customers’ evolving needs.