27/07/2007

NI Recompression Chamber still unopened

The only NHS recompression chamber in Northern Ireland, installed at the end of last year, has still to be opened.

A 50-year-old diver had to be flown to the Isle of Man following an accident in County Down because the recompression facility at Craigavon was unavailable.

The recompression chamber, which provides treatment for 'the bends', replaced an older chamber that was in use since the 1970s.

Delays on opening the chamber are due to operational procedures, such as staff rotas, still waiting to be worked out.

The health trust has said that their staff have been trained on the new machine and it hopes that the chamber will open at the end of August.

(SB/SP)

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