New hyperbaric chamber surfacing in Guernsey

Monday 09 July 2018

Jersey divers face a trip to Guernsey to be treated for decompression sickness, after they announced the purchase of a new £340,000 hyperbaric chamber.

It follows the closure of Jersey’s hyperbaric chamber last month after States’ funding was withdrawn.

Guernsey’s existing hyperbaric chamber, a piece of equipment which uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to treat divers suffering with decompression sickness or ‘the bends’, cost Health & Social Care (HSC) around £60,000 in rental charges alone. Due to this expense, diving insurance would often not cover the fees for using the chamber, so the department decided to purchase the new equipment outright for a sum of £340,000. 

By purchasing their own chamber, HSC will reduce the cost of using the chamber from £30,000 to as low as £595 per treatment.

It is expected that Jersey divers in need of hyperbaric treatment will be transported to Guernsey in order to use their facility. Jersey’s Health department are currently discussing the logistics of this arrangement. 

Pictured: Guernsey are buying their own hyperbaric equipment to avoid rental costs, whilst Jersey's chamber closed due to lack of funding.

A spokesperson for the department told Express: “We have discussed the use of the new chamber in Guernsey and hope that we will come to an agreement about use of the Guernsey chamber during the period that we do not have a facility in Jersey. In respect of a Jersey chamber – discussions are ongoing with Ports of Jersey.”

Express also spoke to Kevin McIlwee who is a retired Master Scuba Diving Instructor and Co-ordinator of Jersey Sea Search about Guernsey’s new decompression chamber. When asked about the practicality of local divers in need of treatment getting to Guernsey, Mr McIlwee said that isn't unusual to have to travel to be treated at a chamber: “I think we’ve got to get the whole thing into perspective. I dive all over the world and for example, in January I was in the Philippines. Now, the journey to a decompression chamber was quite lengthy – I mean, you’re talking several hours.

“Similarly, divers regularly go to places like the Red Sea. Again, getting a diver to a decompression chamber [there] would be a lengthy process, but it doesn’t stop divers going to those areas."

Pictured: Guernsey's new hyperbaric chamber hopes to reduce costs for Channel Island divers in need of treatment for decompression sickness.

Mr McIlwee continued: “A lot of things would be very nice to have on the island, but we’ve got to look at the practical viability. Maybe it’s better that we have access to a hyperbaric chamber that’s a little bit further away, but that has a wider scope of treatment. 

“A diving hyperbaric chamber is actually sitting being unused for huge periods of time. Maybe a hyperbaric chamber that’s a little bit further away but that offers a wider range of treatments is more appropriate in the current economic climate.”