NHS Reviewing Hyperbaric Chambers January 19, 2018 by lukesheppard

As we all know, or should know, there are a limited number of hyperbaric chambers that can provide emergency recompression treatment around the UK if a diver has an accident.  On the 15th of January 2018 NHS England launched a 30 day public consultation to review hyperbaric services, potentially reducing the number of NHS provided chambers from 10 to 8 to save taxpayers money.

Closing chambers could increase vital travel time to chambers for divers and reduces the number of parallel treatments that can be run at any one time.  So if you’re diving off the coast and have an incident that requires recompression treatment you may have to be carried further increasing your chances of a life changing result as the nearest chamber may be further away than before and maybe occupied so you have to be re-routed to the second or third closest chamber.

But make your own mind up and let the NHS know by filling out the quick survey, you have until the 14th of February to make your opinion heard.