Recompression Chamber Help and Advice

In the event of a diving accident, please contact the Hyperbaric Facility as soon as possible. Drink plenty of fluids, preferably an isotonic solution, and use oxygen.

Do not attempt to drive yourself to the Facility. Consider bringing an overnight bag in case you are kept in hospital overnight, and if possible, bring your dive computer with you.

If you are requiring help outside of the North West of England, please contact British Hyperbaric Association Helpline on 07831 151523

Advice and Referral for Gas Embolism Only

Healthcare professionals seeking urgent advice or referral for patients with suspected gas embolism should call the Single Point of Access on 020 4632 2377. 

This provides rapid access to Hyperbaric Physician for specialist advice, triage and coordingation of transfer to treatment.

Iatrogenic refers to any illness, injury, or adverse condition in a patient caused unintentionally by medical treatment, diagnostic procedures, or the actions of a healthcare professional.

As a Category 1 Cox chamber, we can accommodate any patient in any diagnostic condition – from mild symptoms to ventilatory support for the critically ill, including full patient monitoring. Decompression Illness (DCI), also known as ‘the bends’, can manifest with symptoms such as pain in joints and altered sensation, skin rashes, balance and coordination issues causing difficulty in walking and standing, headache, nausea and vomiting, vertigo, numbness and tingling in extremities, unusual fatigue, paralysis, muscular weakness, difficulty urinating, difficulty breathing, and altered levels of consciousness.

This list is not exhaustive but outlines some of the most common forms of DCI. Patients experiencing even mild DCI should still contact a Hyperbaric Facility for help and advice.