Source · Prevention of Future Deaths

Kevin Miles

Ref: 2019-0058 Date: 20 Feb 2019 Coroner: Dianne Hockling Area: Leicester City and South Leicestershire Responses identified: 1 / 2 View PDF

The diver medical certification process is flawed as it doesn't require GP records, enabling misreporting of health issues and risking divers' and potential rescuers' lives.

Date 20 Feb 2019

56-day deadline 17 Apr 2019

Responses identified 1 of 2

Other related deaths

Coroner's concerns

AI summary

The diver medical certification process is flawed as it doesn't require GP records, enabling misreporting of health issues and risking divers' and potential rescuers' lives.

View full coroner's concerns

An Occupational Health Physician, who is also a UK Sport Diving Medical Referee and an HSE Approved Medical Examiner of Divers certified Mr Miles as fit to dive for two years on the 30 January 2018 based on the information given to her by Mr Miles himself in the medical questionnaire and on her physical examination of him. There is currently no re uirement to obtain the diver's General Practitioner records which are often a 'hub'

of various information regarding treatment by both hospital and/or private clinic) or otherwise personally enquire into treatment or advice given by any other medical practitioner. In my opinion this system is open for misreporting of health problems or, in fact, failing to report them at all. If there had been a requirement to obtain Mr Miles GP records it would have been quite clear that he had been advised that he should not dive again and presumably the certificate would not have been granted. My concerns are that not only may divers be risking their own lives by not disclosing salient health facts (that is at their own risk) but that they are also putting the lives of potential rescuers/dive buddies at risk as well.

Responses

1 respondent

UKDMC

PDF

Noted

The UK Diving Medical Committee (UKDMC) discussed the coroner's points but sees no reason to change the current system of self-certification for divers, where the onus is on the diver to provide corroborative medical information if asked. (AI summary)

View full response

Dear Sir, am replying to your Regulation 28 request in my capacity as secretary to the UK Diving Medical Committee.We are a voluntary group ofexperienced doctors who specialise in diving medicine.We meet regularly and advise the sport diving training organisations on medical matters.We also help with medical education to do with diving medicine.We are also consulted by the Health and safety executive on diving matters.We have no office or staff hence this reply isfrom my home address. As a committee,we have had a lengthy discussion aboutthe points raised by .We were all agreed that in an ideal scenario all divers or potential divers should bring copies ofa full and none adjusted medical record to all consultations.However wealready have a situation where our hard pressed general Practitioner collegues are refusing to sign or even fill in anyforms which are none NHS work. At present,any diving referee[doctor with extra training in diving medicine who is approached by a diver who declares a problem on the current self certification form,can ask them to provide further medical information prior to seeing them.The self certification process was brought in for sport divers in 1999 after a review ofthe previous system of regular medical examinations wasshown to have a very low pick up of problems.Theform is reviewed and altered if necessary every 2~3 years. The system requires complete honesty on behalfofthe diver and the onus is on the diver to provide any corroborative medical information that is asked for.lfthe referee is uncertain with what is presented,we have an onlineforum wherewith the divers consent,we can get helpfrom cotlegues fairly quickly to allowusto proceed in our assessment. Currently the Civil Aviation Authority accepts the applicants declaration about eye tests and vision and the DVLA accepts the applicants word regarding

epileptic convulsions and regaining a driving license without resorting to gp notes. We feel as a committee,that atthe presenttime,vve see no reason to change the currentsystem. fours Faithfully

• Ffion secretary to UKDMC

Report sections

Investigation and inquest

On 09 November 2018 I commenced an investigation into the death of Kevin Robert Miles aged 70 years. The investigation has not yet concluded and the inquest has not yet been heard.

Circumstances of the death

Mr Miles was undertaking a `re-breather' course with an instructor and was diving at Stoney Cove, Stoney Stanton in Leicestershire on the 25`h September 2018 when his instructor noticed that something was wrong with Mr Miles. They made an emergency ascent to the surface and attracted the attention of centre staff who immediately pulled Mr Miles out of the water and called the emergency services. Unfortunately, after resuscitation attempts failed, Mr Miles was declared deceased at the scene. Mr Miles was an experienced diver and had been diving since about 1992. Mr Miles had previously been investigated by (Consultant Cardiologist) for symptoms of immersion pulmonary oedema due to a dive in 2015 having been cut short when Mr Miles experienced breathing difficulties and the conclusion was that told Mr Miles (confirmed in a letter to Mr Miles' GP dated 27/12/2017) that he should not dive again, not only for the sake of his safety but also for the sake of the safety of any rescuer. The cause of death of Mr Miles has been returned by (Home Office Registered Forensic Pathologist) as:- 1a) Unascertained

Copies sent to

3. of Clyde & Co

Similar PFD reports

Shared signals

Related inquiry recommendations

Report details

Reference: 2019-0058
Date of report: 20 February 2019
Coroner: Dianne Hockling
Coroner area: Leicester City and South Leicestershire

Responses identified

Responses identified 1 of 2

1 response not yet linked

Organisations named in PFD reports are normally expected to respond within 56 days. Deadline: 17 Apr 2019.

Sent to

Health and Safety Executive

Inspector of Diving

Source links

Judiciary.uk page → Report PDF →

Data: judiciary.uk under OGL.