Dive with
SCUBAHUB
Andy
Andy Hunt is the National BSAC Expeditions Officer , rebooting the BSAC Expeditions Scheme
Changes to post-Covid medical guidance
THE UK DIVING MEDICAL COMMITTEE ( UKDMC ), which advises BSAC , SAA and ScotSAC on medical matters , has announced some minor changes to the guidance for diving medicals and returning to diving following Covid-19 infection .
Diving medical requirements post-Covid-19 infection
Following concern about the long-term effects of suffering from Covid-19 infection , the UKDMC produced a scorecard to help divers assess their personal risk and signpost the steps to be taken in being signed off as fit to dive .
UKDMC is now in the process of revising the waiting period for the more benign cases from three months after return to normal fitness to one month . It should be noted that all diving medical questionnaires routinely used throughout the world have some similar form of post-Covid-19 protocol to follow .
Access to medical examinations
In normal circumstances , the majority of divers would be able to answer ‘ No ’ to all questions and so be able to self-certify . In the current pandemic , there is an additional requirement to identify whether you have suffered from Covid-19 .
UKDMC Medical Referees are medical professionals and are consequently either redeployed or having to limit nonessential consultations . As a result of these pressures , the availability of HSE Medical examinations , including for recreational instructors and recreational diving medicals , is much reduced .
However , some Medical Referees and diving medicine specialist examiners are offering initial telephone consultations .
It should be noted that GP practices are also substantially restricting appointments for non-urgent medical cases and anyone answering ‘ Yes ’ to any relevant question would likely be referred to a Medical Referee for the relevant specialist advice .
A safe return to diving
BSAC ’ S SAFETY GROUP IS RUNNING A SERIES OF WEBINARS TO HELP MEMBERS prepare for their safe return to diving in the coming months .
Led by BSAC Safety & Development Manager , Jim Watson , this introductory session covers BSAC ’ s core diving preparation guidance , notably the contribution divers , instructors and dive managers can all make to the safe return to diving . This webinar forms the foundation for the other webinars that are currently being planned for the series .
The rest of the webinars will be coordinated by Jon Parlour , who leads BSAC National Diving Committee ’ s Safety Group , based on DDRC Healthcare ’ s ‘ health of divers ’ research topics . Formerly the Diving Diseases Research Centre , the talks are based on 10 years of research undertaken by the Plymouth-based DDRC .
Subjects to be covered include ‘ DCI and denial ’, ‘ diabetes and diving ’ and ‘ technical diving ’. Dates for these webinars will shortly be confirmed .
I GOT INTO DIVING BY ACCIDENT ; A friend took me for a try dive in freshers week at university and I was hooked . My passion for expeditions started in a series of university branches before gaining momentum within Tyneside 114 BSAC and then the North East Coaching Team in the 1990s . I ended up going on and then leading some amazing expeditions around the UK and especially the West coast of Scotland .
One thing led to another and I was asked to be BSAC Expeditions Officer and coauthor the BSAC Expedition Manual before going onto First Class Diver Chief Examiner ( FCDCE ) for nine long years , and now back in the Expeditions Officer hotseat with a new mission !
The rebooted expedition scheme started well in 2019 with the Normandy 75 and Scapa 100 projects . The start of 2020 kicked of with a great Advanced Diver Training expedition in the Sound of Mull ( not quite Arctic training , but close !) and then Covid hit .
Although diving as usual ceased last year , I had time do some reading research on the other major crisis going on now , namely climate change and particularly its effect on the 7 / 10ths of the planet we dive in .
So this short message ends with a call to arms to support BSAC ’ s forthcoming Operation Oyster , a citizen science project that aims to gather data of location of the rare native oyster ( Ostrea edulis ), whether they be shells on the shore , in rock pools , in snorkelling depth , under a pier , on your favourite wreck or at 80m on a technical dive . These once abundant critters provide habitat for other species , store away carbon and filter up to 200 litres of seawater a day !
I need a core team of about four volunteers with skills in marine science , video editing , social media and applying for grants to help me run a large BSAC citizen science project . We also need members , clubs and centres to participate to help deliver the project .
9