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Desperately needing help regarding a Skydive for a T1

H

Hel252

Member
Messages
6
Hi ,

I really hope someone can help.I booked a skydive for my partners 30th birthday (two weeks time) but we are having huge issues trying to get a consent form from his doctors signed off. His doctor will not have anything to do with the form even though it's a tick box exercise 'high, medium, low risk' . Another doctor said that there are three things they consider when signing the from:

low sugars during the day
blurred vision
memory loss
none of which my partner suffers from but said his own doctor would need to sign it. A local nurse also said she couldn't see a problem but couldn't sign the form being a nurse. We've tried two local walk in centres but they won't sign the form off.

My partner worksout everyday and cycles 5 miles to work, he's had regular diabetic checkups and has good control over his sugar levels (been a T1 all of his life).

Has anyone else had a simialr experience and if so what did you do?

He desperatley wants to jump but with only two weeks to go the outlook is looking bleak, we're just going round in circles trying to get someone to sign this form off and not getting anywhere. Everyone one keeps saying that they can't see a problem but they won't sign the form which is hugely frustrating you would not believe.We're from the West Sussex area and are willing to travel to see a doctor for a consultation/medical.

Thanks in advance Helen
 
Does your partner visit a diabetes clinic at the hospital as well, or is everything done through the GP surgery? A diabetes specialist at the clinic would be perfectly qualified to sign off your partners fitness for doing the jump. The DSN may be a good first point of call for this?
 
I used to jump, but at the time I started I was young enough that I didn't need a Doctor's certificate.

I doubt whether you will find a Doctor who will sign this form without having been involved in your husband's care for a while - if they could simply take his word that he doesn't suffer from any conditions which would affect his jumping, then the form could be one he signed himself. The other factor which might deter them is the fact that his GP has declined to sign the form - they are bound to wonder whether the GP is aware of something which your husband is keeping hidden from them.

Has the GP given any reason fro declining to sign? If not, I suggest that your husband should write to him/her and/or the practice manager asking for a reason.
 
Hi,

No the doctor has given no reason as to why she won't sign it, which is why it is even more frustrating. If it's something medical then just say so that we know, likewise if she just doesn't want to be involved again just say, atleast we will know where we stand. I will need to get something from her in writing to try and claim a refund which should be interesting.

I found out yesterday that she is locally know as being 'difficult'. We have discussed writing a letter of complaint however she is one of the practice managers! I feel bad for my partner, especially when friends are jumping and they are much unfitter then he is and they don't have to worry.

Thanks for your help and advice

Helen
 
Hel252 said:
Hi,

No the doctor has given no reason as to why she won't sign it, which is why it is even more frustrating. If it's something medical then just say so that we know, likewise if she just doesn't want to be involved again just say, atleast we will know where we stand. I will need to get something from her in writing to try and claim a refund which should be interesting.

I found out yesterday that she is locally know as being 'difficult'. We have discussed writing a letter of complaint however she is one of the practice managers! I feel bad for my partner, especially when friends are jumping and they are much unfitter then he is and they don't have to worry.

Thanks for your help and advice

Helen
Click to expand...

You usually find it's because the doctor has no idea of the sport, and the question is normally of the style 'will xxxx be ok to be (sport)'
So they can't sign it off, as they don't know what they're signing off to, and if anything does go wrong, they will be liable.
They do tend to sign off the medical though, - good control, no hypo's etc, providing there is another doctor who is responsible for the ultimate sign off to say you are ok to do the activity.
So effectively your GP just issues the statement of facts about your condition, and someone else decides if that is acceptable for the activity concerned.
 
A quick glance through the caa list in west sussex came up with this surgery,

http://www.parksurgery.com/nonnhsservice.php

who appear to do sign off's but I have no idea what they will require for 'fitness to take part in sporting event' for non registered patients.

Maybe worth a call to them, for at least a pointer in the right direction?
 
Hel252 said:
We have discussed writing a letter of complaint however she is one of the practice managers! I feel bad for my partner, especially when friends are jumping and they are much unfitter then he is and they don't have to worry.
Click to expand...

I suppose your doctor is in the position of a referee and you know what good comes from arguing with one of those.

But, educate me. Is the purpose of this form to declare him fit, is it for insurance purposes or what and what happens if you don't have one?
 
Insurance.
Health and safety
Duty of care
Risk assessment.

If you don't have one, you can't do the sport.
Unless you lie.
 
SunnyExpat said:
A quick glance through the caa list in west sussex came up with this surgery,

http://www.parksurgery.com/nonnhsservice.php

who appear to do sign off's but I have no idea what they will require for 'fitness to take part in sporting event' for non registered patients.

Maybe worth a call to them, for at least a pointer in the right direction?
Click to expand...
I contacted them yesterday by email, I'll wait to see if they get back to me today and if not give them a call.

Helen
 
Hel252 said:
I've attached the form (hopefully) to this post, it details what happens during a jump and the associated risks then has three tick boxes for the doctor to decide what risk he would be.

Helen
Click to expand...

That is asking a doctor to make a choice without knowing the sport.
Merely to state it's 'acceptable', in the guide, then giving two different tick boxes, and a choice on ceiling.
I can see why there is a reluctance to commit to signing off on that to be fair.

At least we seem to be going down the right route with the caa.
 
SunnyExpat said:
Insurance.
Health and safety
Duty of care
Risk assessment.

If you don't have one, you can't do the sport.
Unless you lie.
Click to expand...
Presumably the doctor has a specific reason for not signing but she is not saying what it is. Does another medical condition exist that we don't know about? I glanced through the form and the mention of diabetes only mentions risks of a hypo and OP says he is a well controlled T1. The other section about hypertension is alarming since newbies can go over 200 systolic.

It would be interesting to say to the GP, tell me what is wrong with my partner or sign the form but don't ask me to do it.
 
Squire Fulwood said:
Presumably the doctor has a specific reason for not signing but she is not saying what it is. Does another medical condition exist that we don't know about? I glanced through the form and the mention of diabetes only mentions risks of a hypo and OP says he is a well controlled T1. The other section about hypertension is alarming since newbies can go over 200 systolic.

It would be interesting to say to the GP, tell me what is wrong with my partner or sign the form but don't ask me to do it.
Click to expand...

It's a very bad form.
It's asking GP to risk assess for a sport, and declare someone medically fit, based on one criteria only.
It doesn't even state the instructor should be advised.
A proper assessment would be, as you say, include hypertension, preparation beforehand, consideration of the adrenalin rush, any delay on the runway, any aborted jumps, possibly with a straight turnround, so more delays, the effect of not eating for an unexpected period, whether to load up before to raise your BG in expectation, whether using a pump or not at altitude etc.
All very easy to deal with, but still too specialist for a GP to sign off on without consideration.
 
Hel252 said:
I contacted them yesterday by email, I'll wait to see if they get back to me today and if not give them a call.

Helen
Click to expand...

Wishing you both all the best. How frustrating for your partner, as he wants to do this so much. Good luck :)
 
SunnyExpat said:
It's a very bad form.
It's asking GP to risk assess for a sport, and declare someone medically fit, based on one criteria only.
It doesn't even state the instructor should be advised.
A proper assessment would be, as you say, include hypertension, preparation beforehand, consideration of the adrenalin rush, any delay on the runway, any aborted jumps, possibly with a straight turnround, so more delays, the effect of not eating for an unexpected period, whether to load up before to raise your BG in expectation, whether using a pump or not at altitude etc.
All very easy to deal with, but still too specialist for a GP to sign off on without consideration.
Click to expand...

Well it looks like I won't be jumping any time soon. There are so many things to be considered that not many other people will be doing so either.
 
Squire Fulwood said:
Well it looks like I won't be jumping any time soon. There are so many things to be considered that not many other people will be doing so either.
Click to expand...

It's a dangerous sport.
But only if you don't plan.
It's perfectly safe when you do.

The whole point of considering the risk is to firstly , prevent it, and secondly, to have your strategy for when you can't prevent it.

As a rough guide, which is incredibly rough, but covers most things, alot of the answer to the above is very simple.
Take an easy form of glucose with you, ensure someone knows how to administer, (most instructors for any sport do), and make sure you're in the top of your normal range when you start.
Obviously, other strategies are needed for other eventualities, but you know yourself, as you cope with it every day normally,
 
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