Padi OW course in Oz for ashmatic?

[Ants]

Hi, my partner wants to get her PADI OW when we come to Oz in a couple of weeks, but she is asthmatic. She has undergone a diving medical here in the UK, and been signed off as meeting the Australian diving medical standard (whos name / number I forget), however we have been warned that many dive companies will simply not accept her even with the oz medical certificate.

Before I try emailing every PADI center in Cairns (or Perth as 2nd option), does anyone know of any PADI centers that maybe more open minded than others, or any recommendations for ones that are just damn good and thus worth checking with first?

We are looking for a shore based rather than boat based course for her OW training.

Many thanks!

Anthony

 

[Web Monkey]

Hi, my partner wants to get her PADI OW when we come to Oz in a couple of weeks, but she is asthmatic. She has undergone a diving medical here in the UK, and been signed off as meeting the Australian diving medical standard (whos name / number I forget), however we have been warned that many dive companies will simply not accept her even with the oz medical certificate.

The UK and Australia have different requirements. They're both discussed here:

DAN Divers Alert Network : Asthma & Diving

However, aside from the legalities, she really doesn't want to get an attack underwater, so if anybody is saying "no", they're probably doing her a favor.

Terry

 

[Ants]

Hi, As mentioned she has passed a medical with a dive doctor (in the UK), which was carried out to the specific Oz standard (AS 4005 part 1).

However we have also been told that even having met that standard, that in Oz there is a general blanket rule of thumb that divers with asthma are not allowed to dive there and that they may refuse her.

Obviously we are not looking to break rules and / or put her in danger (hence the specialist medical already), but rather find a dive school that is more in tune with US and European thinking of with regards to asthma, i.e. having been cleared by a doctor to the oz standard, and presuming no other further problems, is allowed to dive.


Anthony