
A letter from the offices of DAN Europe about the likely closure of UK recompression chambers.
The British Diving Safety Group released the following advice to divers.
“NHS England has confirmed that, following the recent procurement process, contracts for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) services have been awarded for three of the six planned regional centres (East of England, London and South East, and South West). At this time, no contracts have been awarded for the North East, North West, or Midlands regions.
This decision affects four existing hyperbaric chambers — LHM Healthcare (Whipps Cross), Midlands Diving Chamber (Rugby), North England Medical Hyperbaric (Hull) and Hyperbaric Treatment and Training Services (Wirral)— which, unless alternative arrangements are made, they will no longer be under NHS contract as of 1 October 2025.
This decision will leave divers across the Midlands and Northern England without timely NHS-funded access to vital recompression facilities — a critical component of emergency treatment for decompression illness.” British Diving Safety Group.
This move raises serious concerns over treatment inequality and regional discrimination. While facilities in the South remain available, divers in the Midlands and North will be left with limited access, significantly compromising diving safety and emergency response capabilities across large geographic areas.
“This isn’t just about geography – it is about fairness, safety and survival” said a Spokesman for the British Diving Safety Group. “Diving emergencies cannot wait and removing access will not save money in the long term. It simply shifts the cost to lives lost, prolongation of treatment and illness. It will also unnecessarily tie up blue light emergency services.” It should also be noted when looking at travel if you are diving in eg of the North East coast and Great Yarmouth is full, there is a potential that you could be shipped down to DDRC for treatment so will not be far off travelling the entire length of England.
The removal of these services raises significant concerns regarding equity of treatment and diving safety. With the absence of these resources, divers in these regions will face increased risks due to delayed access to life-saving treatment. It should also be noted that London divers could also be affected, whilst the Chichester chamber is within an acceptable travel range, it is manned by Royal Navy physicians, it is not clear how are they going to provide a service to the 12 million population of London without affecting the care of their navy divers.
When we also consider out inland dive sites for example Stoney Cove, Matt King, Stoney’s director had this to say, “This is an extremely concerning decision for UK diving. Reducing operating hyperbaric chambers by over 60% and confining coverage to only the east and south of the country places divers who find themselves in difficulty across the midlands and north at significantly larger risk to their health, forcing them to travel far further and longer for appropriate medical attention and placing an unnecessary amount of strain on an already stretched ambulance service.”
The move undermines efforts to ensure a fair and consistent level of safety to all divers, regardless of location. Recompression chambers provide the definitive treatment for those suffering from decompression sickness and are a cornerstone of diving safety management. Without access to these facilities, the risk to divers in affected areas will be significantly heightened, leading to concerns about the integrity of the entire national diving safety framework.
The reduction in diving safety services compromises not only the health of individuals but also the reputation of diving safety management across the country. The lack of a renewed contract for these chambers further exposes the vulnerabilities in our healthcare system and raises concerns about the prioritisation of diver welfare.
“Diving warrants immediate and specialised treatment in the event of decompression illness,” said a Spokesman for the British Diving Safety Group “The absence of contracted chambers in central and northern regions of England exposes divers to increased health risks and undermines national diving safety protocols.”
The decision highlights a growing inequity in NHS service provision and has been met with alarm by diving safety advocates, emergency responders, and the wider diving community. With the UK’s extensive coastline and inland dive sites, ensuring timely nationwide access to recompression services is vital to safe diving practices and emergency preparedness.
Stakeholders including the dive training agencies are today urging NHS England to reconsider this move and engage with diving and medical communities to develop a more equitable model of care.”
The BSAC have also issued a statement about this situation and it can be found here.
The Annual Diving Incident Report contains details of UK diving incidents occurring to divers from all agencies and backgrounds, plus incidents occurring worldwide involving BSAC members.
Links to the most recent BSAC Incident Report can now be found here. Valuable insights into what can lead up to a diving incident for any diving professionals.
The 2022 Incident Report presentation for the Diving Industry will take place on 6 December 2023 via webinar.
The closure of NDAC has removed a well-managed inland site with excellent Emergency Action Plan (EAP ) support from UK technical diver training. Inland alternatives offering suitable depth are also often in remote locations. These locations can have additional challenges for evacuating casualties. Good examples of these sites are Dorothea and Wast water, but Scottish sea lochs and Cambrian mines can also provide similar challenging scenarios for casualty management.
A new document has been added to this website that aims to assist diving instructors with planning dives at these locations. Various points are illustrated with reference to Dorothea.
The COVID 19 lockdowns during 2020 have made 2021 a very important year for diving businesses to recover revenue, fulfil postponed demand for diver training and build resilience to face possible disruption in the future. During the period of covid controls and social distancing, many dive schools were diligent in implementing measures and this certainly helped diving recover.
Although formal covid control measures may have been removed, it is still possible to contract covid and suffer varying severity of infection. It is also possible to carry and spread covid after vaccination. The new omicron variant is now spreading, with headlines about rapid infection rates.
This creates a need for diving professionals to continue some precautions against covid infection among their teams or customers. Either could cause personal consequences or further disruption to businesses hoping to maximise the end of the 2021 dive season or the start of 2022.
Continuing to guard against covid impact during recreational diving instruction also helps representative bodies (such as APSTO) present an evidence-based case for diving to continue in any future waves, or periods of pandemic restriction. This case for exemption from closure is also strengthened by acknowledged mental health benefits, widespread vaccination and boosters, diving being a mainly outside activity and the now well-documented absence of transmission in well run, covid-aware outdoor diving operations. APSTO is intending to present this case should lockdowns be discussed – backup in the form of visible good practice from dive schools will help greatly.
Previously APSTO has simply emphasised the clear-cut government advice. The situation is now different, with the clear advice having been replaced by individual responsibility for companies and individuals to choose their own covid controls.
Assessment of risks in diving operations, including surface infection risks, is the responsibility of each diving business. However, since the original lockdown, there are now more tools available for dive schools to use in their risk assessment, meaning that measures can be proportionate, targeted and responsive to changing circumstances.APSTO has been discussing the usefulness of various measures to assist dive schools in formulating their own risk assessments and measures to ensure both staff and student safety, plus minimising impacts on diving businesses.
The full advice document can be accessed from this link.
Thank you and best seasonal wishes,
APSTO
The UK government published information on 22nd February 2021 outlining its roadmap out of lockdown.
If this goes according to plan, on 29th March, outdoor sports facilities, such as tennis and basketball courts, will be allowed to reopen, and people can take part in formally organised outdoor sports. (Para 102 of the government guidance).
Diving professionals running diver training activities can consider themselves to fall under the category of “formally organised outdoor sports”, and in this sense, they are a business activity.
Based on previously issued government guidance, adults can take part in outdoor organised sport and licensed physical outdoor activity in groups of more than six, provided it is organised by a national governing body, club, registered instructor/coach, business or charity; and/or involve someone who has received an official license to use equipment relevant to the activity. In all cases, the organiser must conduct a risk assessment and ensure compliance with COVID-19 Secure guidance or risk getting a fine.
More detailed advice concerning organised diving events has been produced by the National Governing Body.
Since the Brexit transition period ended on 31st December, freedom of movement for living and working between the UK and EU has ended. This means that any UK national wishing to carry out work in the EU is likely to require a work visa.
Each country has different requirements or concessions with regard to work, so you should consult the gov.uk website for information about your particular country of interest and also allow plenty of time for the visa application process to be completed prior to their departure from the UK. You should also check that your insurance coverage is still valid for the country you intend to work in.
APSTO has now been approved as a member of the Sport & Recreation Alliance.
The Sport & Recreation Alliance brings together the sport and recreation sector and supports its members to tackle the challenges and take advantage of opportunities. It is the voice of the sector with Government, policymakers and the media. It aims to help get the nation active at the grassroots by providing advice, support and guidance.
APSTO is now listed on the Sport & Recreation Alliance website here.