The British Diving Safety Group (BDSG) regrets to share troubling news that will significantly impact diver safety across the UK. On 14 May 2025, it was confirmed that from 1 October 2025, the number of hyperbaric chambers available to treat divers will be dramatically reduced.
While the initial plan was to scale back from 8 to 6 chambers following the closure of Poole in January, only three hyperbaric treatment centres have now been awarded contracts:
- DDRC Plymouth
- St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester
- James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth
This means that from October, divers across vast regions of the UK—particularly the Midlands, the North of England, and inland diving areas—will have little to no access to essential emergency hyperbaric care.
Hyperbaric chambers are a critical part of diving safety infrastructure. They are not optional extras—they are life-saving facilities that provide urgent treatment for decompression illness (DCI), a potentially fatal condition that can occur even after routine dives. Without timely access, divers face delayed treatment, poorer outcomes, and increased risk of long-term injury or death.
This development creates serious inequality in emergency care access for divers, with southern regions retaining limited coverage while large swathes of the UK are left without. It will undermine diver confidence, impact commercial and recreational diving activities, and place additional strain on emergency services.
The BDSG is preparing an official press release and launching a petition to reverse this decision—we urge everyone in the diving community to sign and share when it goes live.
In the meantime, please spread the word. Awareness is our first line of defence in pushing for a safer outcome.
For the safety of every diver in the UK—this cannot go unchallenged.
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