Diving Medicals: PADI, BSAC, HSE and more

From our London base (at Barts Health Whipps Cross University Hospital) we offer a range of different medicals approved for commercial, sport and recreational divers.

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Pricing

  • Sportdiving – Standard
  • Usual Duration: 1 hour
  • For BSAC, PADI and other recreation divers who do NOT have Asthma.
  • £125
  • per person
  • Enquire Now
  • Sportdiving – Enhanced
  • Usual Duration: 1.5 hours
  • If you have Asthma, this enhanced medical exam is the option for you.
  • £150
  • per person
  • Enquire Now
  • HSE
  • Usual Duration: 1.5 hours
  • Both inital and follow-up HSE dive medicals are available.
  • £170
  • per person
  • Enquire Now

All medicals are carried out at our Hyperbaric facility by experienced dive medical doctors and Approved Medical Examiner of Divers (AMED)s experienced in scuba diving medicine.

Our Doctors also provide Topside and other specialist medicals for construction workers and corporate clients.

Most of our staff are also active divers and are on hand to provide expert advice.

If you can’t find the medical or information here that you are looking for here, please feel free to call our friendly and knowledgable team.

They are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, by telephoning 020 8539 1222 (+44 20 8539 1222 from outside the UK).

Recreation & Sportdiving Medicals

Background

Recreation and Sport Diving Medicals

For sport and recreational divers (including PADI and BSAC) who are required to undergo a medical examination and assessment. Also for some dive holidays in countries that require you to pass a medical before being allowed to dive.

Diving can be a fascinating and rewarding pastime.  When diving for sport or recreation, some divers are required to undergo a medical examination and assessment. For example, BSAC and PADI divers who answer ‘YES’ to having any conditions listed on the self-certification forms.

Some dive holiday destinations are in countries that require you to pass a medical before being allowed to dive.

Other divers may not be required to have a medical exam but still want to do so for their own peace of mind.

Further Reading

You can find further information on the following official websites:

Sportdiving Medical Prices

  • Sportdiving – Standard
  • Usual Duration: 1 hour
  • For BSAC, PADI and other recreation divers who do NOT have Asthma.
  • £125
  • per person
  • Enquire Now
  • Sportdiving – Enhanced
  • Usual Duration: 1.5 hours
  • If you have Asthma, this enhanced medical exam is the option for you.
  • £150
  • per person
  • Enquire Now

If you have any questions or are not sure which medical is right for you, please call our friendly and knowledgable team between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, on 020 8539 1222 (+44 20 8539 1222 from outside the UK).

Important Information

Before You Book

In quite a few cases additional information / documentation / examinations may be required, which could mean that you will not receive a decision regarding your fitness on the day. Please take this into account when booking a medical, ensuring that there remains ample time between your medical and your planned dive trip.

Our Doctors will not sign medical declarations by post and you will have to attend an appointment in person. You can book a medical by using our online booking tool or by telephone. However, before you book, please read the following advice on getting ready for your medical.

Preparing For Your Medical

The first step is to complete a pre-medical questionnaire:

For recreational and sportdiving medicals (BSAC, PADI, etc.) if you answer YES to having any of the conditions listed, you WILL need to undergo a medical examination. Otherwise you are able to self-certify without being examined.

Remember to have your diving medical BEFORE booking holidays or buying equipment as further investigations may be required to be instigated by your GP/Consultant. These can take several weeks to arrange!

For Divers Requiring Medical Examination

Commercial divers will need to have to get the questionnaire signed AND stamped by their GP and bring this with them on the day of the medical. If you do not have the signed and stamped questionnaire with you on the day of the medical, we will not be able to proceed.

BSAC / PADI / Recreational divers must also bring the completed medical questionnaire – however, it is NOT necessary to have it signed and stamped by a GP.

Examination of both your ear canals and drums will form part of the medical. If you are aware that you have wax in your ear canal, please arrange an ear syringing with your GP. If wax is found to be obstructing view of your ear drums, then you will have to return at a later date once your ear wax has been removed.

Diver Medical Requirements

For All Divers

All divers attending a medical at LHM will require the following:

Questionnaire

A completed PADI or BSAC medical questionnaire.

Medical History

A summary of your medical history from your GP covering the last 2 years.

Any Other Information

Any other recent medical letters, discharge summaries, scans and x-rays you may have
concerning existing medical conditions.

For Divers With Specific Medical Conditions

In addition to the above if you have any condition listed below please take note of these further guidance notes:

  • Asthma

    You will require an exercise test to ensure your lung function meets the required standard. BSAC / PADI Divers should choose the SportDiving – Enhanced option.

    This exercise test can only be done if you have been off all short-acting bronchodilators, also known as reliever inhalers (blue), e.g. Salbutamol (Ventolin), for at least 24 hours before the test. If you need to use your blue inhaler, do so as required but contact us to rebook the medical.

    Whilst occasional reliever inhaler use is acceptable, regular daily use means your asthma is not well controlled enough to dive safely.  Similarly, exercise, cold or emotion induced asthmatics cannot safely dive.

    With regards to regular preventer inhalers (usually brown, orange or red), these do not affect your eligibility to take the exercise test and should not be stopped under any circumstances unless directed to do so by your treating physician.

    Please note that we cannot provide medical examinations for divers with asthma who are also under 16 years of age. 

    Asthma and Diving

  • Diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2) - BSAC Medicals Only

    Please complete section A of the Diving & Diabetes form and ask your GP to complete Section B. Your GP may request payment for this. This only applies if you are requesting a BSAC Medical, other medical types do not require this.

    Download Diving and Diabetes form

  • High blood pressure

    Further tests (assess fitness, ECG, echocardiogram, 24 hour blood pressure monitoring, etc.) which are time consuming. So please allow at least an extra two weeks for your medical!

  • Depression - BSAC Medicals Only

    Please ask your GP to complete this patient questionnaire. Your GP may request payment for this, so it may be worth checking with us first as to whether its likely that you will pass. This only applies if you are requesting a BSAC Medical, other medical types do not require this.

    Download Depression Questionnaire

Booking Your Diving Medical

Download Forms You May Need

BSACPADIHSEDIVING & DIABETESDEPRESSION QUESTIONNAIRE
Download
Download
Download
Download
Download

Booking Instructions

You can send an enquiry using the form here, or by telephoning our friendly and knowledgable team. They are available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, by telephoning 020 8539 1222 (+44 20 8539 1222 from outside the UK).

Booking Enquiry Form

Booking Conditions

If you book a medical with us, the following conditions will apply:

  1. You agree that before booking you have read the information further up this page about what you need to arrange prior to attending the medical.
  2. You accept that you must bring to your medical appointment various documents:
    • A valid medical questionnaire signed and stamped by your GP (HSE Initial Medicals only)
    • A summary of your medical history from your GP covering the last 2 years
    • Any other recent medical letters, discharge summaries, scans and x-rays you may have
      concerning existing medical conditions
    • If you are affected by Diabetes, a completed Diving & Diabetes form with section B completed by your GP
    • If you are affected by Depression, a Depression Questionnaire completed by your GP
  3. You accept that your GP may charge you to provide any of the above and this is at your own expense.
  4. If you fail to bring any of the necessary documentation to your appointment, you accept that the medical exam may not proceed but you may still be liable to pay for the appointment.

Come and Join Us..

at the Joint Scientific Conference of British Hyperbaric Association and UK Dive Medical Committee

Click to find out more

In-person and virtual (online) attendance options are available.

We're also pleased to invite members of the Dive Medical and Hyperbaric communities as well as other allied colleagues (including trainees) to submit abstracts.

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