medical
Dr Andy Kaye is a valued customer of the Bath Dive Centre and an experienced diver. He has undergone special training in diving medicine and can perform HSE Medicals for Professional Divers, give Sports Diver Medicals and can offer advice on all dive / medical related issues Dr Andy Kaye can be contacted by email at abe.kaye@talktalk.net.
Dr Andy Kaye
general medical advice
Scuba diving is a wonderful activity that allows us to explore our amazing underwater environment. However it can also be a dangerous activity and therefore requires a certain level of physical and mental fitness. Danger comes in two forms. Firstly the effects of breathing compressed gases for prolonged periods of time and the effects of water pressure on our bodies. Secondly, the danger of the underwater environment itself – strong sea currents, cold temperatures and poor visibility can easily make us become tired and disorientated. In an underwater situation this can make us panic which could lead to dangerous mistakes.
Divers need to be fit, well trained and constantly aware of the hazards of their sport.
The level of fitness required in a diver depends on whether the diver is diving professionally or diving purely as a recreational/sports activity.
Professional divers e.g. PADI instructors, commercial ( e.g. North Sea divers), underwater cameramen, etc are protected by a piece of legislation called the Diving at Work Act 1997 . The Health and Safety Executive ( HSE) are responsible for enforcing these rules and insist that professional divers have an annual medical examination ( a HSE medical) by a doctor who has undergone special training in diving medicine. An employer cannot employ a diver unless he produces a ‘Fit to Dive’ certificate from a qualified doctor. The same rules apply to self employed divers.
Sports divers on the other hand are not protected by government legislation - it is largely up to the diver to decide himself / herself whether they are fit to take up diving and up to them declare any potential health problems. Sports divers with health issues e.g. asthma , diabetes, blood pressure, or other complex illnesses, may still be safe to dive but would be advised to see a doctor with knowledge of diving medicine before taking up the sport.
HSE medicals for Professional divers
New HSE divers, joining the profession for the first time will need to get a questionnaire filled in and a full blood count from there GP before attending for their HSE medical. A GP questionnaire can be downloaded from 'Annex A' in the section entitled the 'Medical Examination and Assessment of Divers' to be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/diving/information.htm First time HSE medicals (which includes heart trace (e.c.g.), hearing test , spirometry (lung function testing ) and exercise testing costs £100 and takes 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Follow up HSE medicals are simpler. They include spirometry and exercise testing and take about an hour and cost £80
Sports Diver Medicals
Sports diver medicals usually take about half an hour and usually needed for divers who have ticked one of the boxes on the PADI medical questionnaire. Your own GP may be willing to sign you fit for diving if he/she feels sufficiently confident about your health. Your own GP will have the advantage of knowing your past medical history.
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