Full details on the AGM, including the notice of meeting, can be found at bsac. com / AGM2025 JUL-AUG 2025 ADVERTISERS
SCUBAHUB
BSAC’ s Head of Diving and Training, Sophie Heptonstall and OWI Chief Examiner Sam Clarke with Dave Allcock, Manager of Hyperbaric Treatment Emergency Services Training Centre at Wirral Chamber
Deep concern over chamber closures
BSAC HAS WARNED THAT THE Midlands, North West and North East of England could be left without provision of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy( HBOT) following an NHS bid process.
BSAC expressed its concern over the news that four recompression chambers in the Midlands, North West, North East of England and London( Whipps Cross) have been unsuccessful in their bids to offer recompression treatment in their respective areas.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy( HBOT) is a recognised treatment for Decompression Illness( DCI) in divers and is classified as a specialist service funded by the NHS. Specialist services are commissioned by the NHS and subject to a bidding process on a regular cycle where service providers are invited to submit a bid to provide the service in a specific area( Lot). As part of this bidding process, service providers are required to demonstrate how they will deliver the service to specified standards.
BSAC is now seeking to understand why the NHS has rejected bids covering all HBOT services in the Midlands, North West and North East of England.
BSAC’ s CEO Mary Tetley said the NHS’ s decision was‘ deeply concerning’.
“ This decision not only affects divers as the NHS also commissions treatment of AGE- Arterial Gas Embolism- in these chambers. While other treatments might benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy, only DCI and AGE are officially commissioned and, under current contracts, will not have any provision in the Midlands, North West or North East of England.”
BSAC has also raised concerns over LHM healthcare( Whipps Cross, London), which will no longer be under NHS contract leaving Chichester Chamber to cover the area incorporating central London.
Although the chambers are open and operating as normal for now, from the beginning of October 2025 this decision will leave huge swathes of the country, including the North East, North West, Midlands, and Central London, without adequate emergency cover for decompression illness( DCI) and arterial gas embolism( AGE).
BSAC is working closely with the British Diving Safety Group( BDSG) and all other dive industry representatives and key stakeholders to lobby the government for the restoration of HBOT in the areas of concern.
As well as engaging local MPs in the areas directly affected by the planned chamber closures, BSAC has also written to The Rt Hon Wesley Streeting MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, requesting a meeting to discuss an urgent review of the situation.
Have your say
A proposed petition for Parliament to debate the potential closure of hyperbaric chambers in England has already been rejected. BSAC is now calling on its members to help highlight the potentially life-threatening consequences of these closures by writing directly to their own MPs.
BSAC has prepared a letter template that members personalise and send to their local MP, urging them to raise this issue in Parliament. The letter template can be downloaded at bsac. com / HBOTletter
“ As National Governing Body for SCUBA and Snorkelling in the UK, diver safety is paramount to us. The potential imminent significant decrease in NHS-funded HBOT provision in England is unacceptable for the UK dive industry.
“ Without HBOT provision in these regions, divers face delayed treatment, potentially life-threatening consequences, and increased pressure on ambulance services. We believe constituent action can help reverse this decision,” Mary added.
BSAC Election: Voting closed
VOTING IN THE BSAC ELECTION 2025 has now closed, with the successful candidates set to be announced shortly.
This year’ s Council election saw the BSAC Chair post as well as one Council member position become available. With voting closing on 11 June, the successful candidates will take up their BSAC Council positions after this year’ s AGM.
The 71st BSAC AGM will be held on Wednesday 25 June at 7pm. Once again, the 2025 AGM will be held online, and all members are invited to attend.
Details on how to pre-register to participate in the online AGM will be available on the Civica voting website until 23 June. Members can find the link to the Civica website on their original voting email. Any queries regarding registering for the online AGM, please email chrish @ bsac. com
Full details on the AGM, including the notice of meeting, can be found at bsac. com / AGM2025 JUL-AUG 2025 ADVERTISERS
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