Kevin Miles
PFD Report
All Responded
Ref: 2019-0058
All 1 response received
· Deadline: 17 Apr 2019
Sent To
Response Status
Responses
1 of 1
56-Day Deadline
17 Apr 2019
All responses received
About PFD responses
Organisations named in PFD reports must respond within 56 days explaining what actions they are taking.
Source: Courts and Tribunals Judiciary
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.
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
Response received
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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
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
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Data sourced from Courts and Tribunals Judiciary under the Open Government Licence.