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Critical progress report on health system

Treasury Minister to make Tynwald statement

A progress report on the independent review of the Isle of Man Health and Social Care system is highly critical.

Treasury Minister Alfred Cannan will make a statement in Tynwald this month about the document written by Sir Jonathan Michael.

The former clinician and chief executive of three NHS Trust foundations was tasked by the Manx government in March 2018 to advise of the current and long-term healthcare priorities for the Isle of Man.

Increased funding, higher costs than the UK, 20-30% larger salaries paid to consultants, a third more than across the water paid for pharmaceuticals and a bigger staff spend on agency workers in Noble's Hospital at 13% compared to 6% in England, were just some of the observations made in the report.

Others include:-

  • longer waiting lists
  • lower utilisation of operating theatres than the average across the NHS in England
  • not following an integrated care pathway - but mental health services was a notable exception
  • areas where quality and safety systems fall short of what is considered good and safe practice elsewhere
  • concerns over corporate, clinical and system governance
  • a lack of legislation to enforce governance

One paragraph amongst many stands out - This shift from an institution-centric model to an integrated, locally focused and service user-centred approach is not a nice-to-have; it is essential if health and care services are to be sustainable and affordable in the face of the rise in demand. The current Isle of Man model, with much health care provided at Noble's Hospital, does not support this vision and further change will be required.

The January sitting of Tynwald starts on Tuesday 15 January.

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