BUDGET: Treasury minister 'breaks promise' over healthcare funding

More money from Manx National Insurance Fund despite 'one off' pledge

The treasury minister has admitted he’s broken a promise made by his predecessor over funding health services on the Isle of Man.

The Department of Health and Social Care is getting an uplift to its budget of £20.5 million this year which represents an increase of just over eight per cent.

It’s received more than £8 million from the Manx National Insurance Fund – a fund which was used last year to top up the department with £13 million.

At the time the then Treasury Minister David Ashford told Tynwald it was a ‘one off withdrawal’ in ‘very unusual circumstances’.

However Alex Allinson says with finances this year ‘quite a challenge’ he’s had to backtrack on that pledge:

Funding healthcare provision on the Island makes up the biggest part of government’s annual expenditure with the DHSC predicting to spend £313,781 million over the next 12 months. 

Dr Allinson has confirmed the DHSC budget this year isn’t the one the department asked for but said he believes the amount of money allocated is ‘absolutely fair’.

The Healthcare Transformation Fund is also being topped up by £3.5 million to support ongoing implementation of recommendations from the Sir Jonathan Michael report.

You can find out more about this year's Budget - and what it means for you - by clicking HERE.