Statutory and recreational dive medical · London
Dive medical (HSE / SPUMS) - London
Same-day HSE commercial, SPUMS scientific and PADI or BSAC recreational dive medicals across London. UKDMC-approved doctors, from £120.
Types of dive medical
HSE, SPUMS or recreational, matched to your diving.
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HSE commercial dive medical
Health and Safety Executive medical required for all UK commercial and professional divers. Annual renewal, statutory. Signed on HSE MA1 certificate by an HSE-approved medical examiner of divers (AMED).
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SPUMS scientific dive medical
South Pacific Underwater Medicine Society standard, widely used for scientific and research divers (including AAUS-affiliated projects). Focused on aerobic fitness, cardiorespiratory reserve and ENT patency.
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PADI and BSAC recreational
Self-declaration questionnaire for recreational divers. A doctor sign-off is only required if any risk factor is ticked (asthma, heart, ear, neurological, diabetes, pregnancy).
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UKSDMC recreational medical
UK Sport Diving Medical Committee guidance is the standard used by most UK recreational referrers. Applies when the self-declaration triggers a medical review.
What is checked
A full fitness-to-dive assessment, system by system.
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Respiratory
Full respiratory examination with spirometry (FEV1 and FVC), chest expansion, no active asthma with symptoms, no chronic obstructive disease, no history of pneumothorax.
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ENT
Valsalva and equalisation tested, patent tympanic membranes, no chronic sinusitis, no eustachian tube dysfunction, no recent middle-ear surgery.
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Cardiovascular
Blood pressure, resting ECG for divers over 40, exercise tolerance, no arrhythmia, no ischaemic disease, no unexplained syncope.
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Neurological and psychological
No epilepsy, no uncontrolled migraine with aura, no significant head injury with residual deficit, no panic disorder or claustrophobia that could trigger under water.
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MSK, vision and hearing
Musculoskeletal assessment for load carrying, corrected vision suitable for mask use, audiometry when indicated.
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Oxygen tolerance and history
Any past decompression illness, oxygen toxicity, or hyperbaric exposure is reviewed. Medications and recreational drug use are recorded.
Disqualifying conditions
Absolute and case-by-case bars.
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Uncontrolled asthma
Asthma with current symptoms, exercise or cold-induced bronchospasm, or recent rescue inhaler use. Case-by-case with a normal spirometry and a specialist opinion for well-controlled asthma.
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Previous pneumothorax
A spontaneous pneumothorax is a permanent bar to diving. Traumatic pneumothorax may be reviewed once fully healed with imaging.
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Patent foramen ovale (PFO)
Case-by-case, particularly for technical, deep or repetitive diving where the shunt raises decompression illness risk. Bubble-contrast echocardiography may be requested.
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Uncontrolled epilepsy
A permanent bar while active. Long seizure-free periods off medication are reviewed against UKSDMC guidance.
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Insulin-treated diabetes
Case-by-case per DAN and UKSDMC protocols, with strict glucose stability, no severe hypos, and a supervised dive protocol.
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Ischaemic heart disease and middle-ear disease
Ischaemic heart disease is case-by-case with cardiology input. An inability to equalise the middle ear, or recent ENT or thoracic surgery, defers certification.
Commercial vs recreational
Two different thresholds.
The HSE commercial standard is stricter. An annual medical is mandatory, with a chest x-ray at first certification, spirometry each visit, an ECG over the age of 40, and a smoking history that is weighed against respiratory reserve. The MA1 certificate is time-limited and cannot be extended.
The recreational standard is questionnaire-driven. If the PADI or BSAC self-declaration has every risk factor ticked no, no medical is needed. A medical is only required when a risk factor is present, and it follows UKSDMC guidance rather than the full HSE examination.
Turnaround
Same-day HSE, 48 to 72 hours recreational.
HSE MA1 certificates are signed and handed to you at the end of the appointment. Recreational UK Dive Medical certificates are typically issued within 48 to 72 hours after any external reports or specialist reviews are received.
Cost
£120 to £350 depending on type.
HSE annual: £150 to £250. SPUMS or recreational: £120 to £200. Initial HSE with chest x-ray and full spirometry: £220 to £350. Prices depend on provider, imaging and specialist input.
Where in London
UKDMC-approved providers we introduce.
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London Diving Chamber
Long-established diving medicine practice with HSE-approved AMEDs, SPUMS medicals and recreational reviews.
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London Hyperbaric Medicine
Whipps Cross site, HSE and recreational medicals, plus 24-hour recompression cover for decompression illness.
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UK Dive Medicine
National network of UKDMC-approved doctors, London slots for commercial and recreational medicals.
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MASTA Fleet Street
City travel and occupational clinic offering recreational dive medicals and pre-trip fitness reviews.
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Fleet Street Clinic
Private GP practice with a diving medicine interest, recreational and instructor medicals.
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Nightingale Hospital
Central London consultant-led assessments where a cardiology or respiratory opinion is needed alongside the dive medical.
Decompression illness
Separate from the fitness medical.
Decompression illness and decompression sickness are managed as an emergency, not through the fitness medical. DAN UK runs a 24-hour hotline for suspected DCI or DCS. UK recompression cover is provided by regional hyperbaric chambers including London Hyperbaric Medicine at Whipps Cross, and the Wirral chamber for the North West.
If you have had DCI in the past, bring the treatment record to your fitness medical. Return-to-dive is reviewed against UKSDMC guidance and may need a bubble-contrast echocardiogram to look for a PFO.
Related tests
Other occupational and travel medicals.
Frequently asked
Dive medical questions.
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I have asthma - can I still dive?
Well-controlled asthma with no symptoms in the last few years, normal spirometry, no exercise or cold-induced bronchospasm and no rescue inhaler use may be certified after a specialist review. Active or poorly controlled asthma is a bar. UKSDMC guidance is applied on a case-by-case basis.
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Do I need to be tested for a PFO?
Not routinely. Bubble-contrast echocardiography is considered where there is a history of decompression illness, unexplained neurological symptoms after diving, migraine with aura, or for technical divers pushing repetitive or decompression profiles.
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Does private health insurance cover a dive medical?
No. HSE, SPUMS and recreational dive medicals are statutory or occupational assessments and sit outside standard private medical insurance. You pay directly, or your employer or dive school is invoiced.
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What is the difference between a PADI questionnaire and an HSE medical?
The PADI or BSAC recreational form is a self-declaration. If every box is ticked no, you can dive without a doctor. The HSE medical is a full statutory examination for professional and commercial divers, with spirometry, ECG over 40, chest x-ray at initial, and an MA1 certificate signed by an HSE-approved doctor.
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I wear glasses or contact lenses - is that a problem?
No. Corrected vision suitable for reading gauges and using a mask is enough. Prescription mask inserts and soft contact lenses under a mask are both accepted.
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I am pregnant - can I keep diving?
No. Diving is not recommended in pregnancy at any stage because of the theoretical risk of decompression illness to the fetus. A dive medical will defer certification until after delivery and postnatal recovery.
Book your dive medical
Same-day HSE, SPUMS and recreational dive medicals in London.
Tell us your certification body and any conditions on the self-declaration. We come back within one working day with a firm quote and an appointment.