Kevin Robert Miles · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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.

Mr Miles was undertaking a ‘re-breather’ course with an instructor and was diving at Stoney Cove, Stoney Stanton in Leicestershire on the 25th 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

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 requirement 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.