Gov't pushing ahead with healthcare transformation

The new Manx Care health body is still hoped to start up in full in April next year.

That's according to Health and Social Care Minister, David Ashford MHK, as government says the programme to restructure the health and care structure on the Isle of Man is raising its profile and moving forward.

Work to establish Manx Care will be more visible from this month, with the introduction of the Manx Care Bill to the House of Keys.

Recruitment has also begun for an independent non-executive chair for Manx Care.

Mr Ashford adds: "Work continued as far as possible during the pandemic, despite the focus of colleagues being diverted elsewhere. The timetable has been adjusted slightly but the way forward remains clear.

"The coronavirus crisis made us find new ways of doing things, under pressure and at pace. We maintained and developed essential services while dealing with a global health crisis, learning a great deal about making swift and necessary changes to care delivery in a way we could never have predicted."

The major restructuring of Manx medical services comes following a large-scale independent review by Sir Jonathan Michael, a former Chief Executive of three NHS trusts.

His final report was published in May last year with 26 recommendations for how the system should work going forward - including an integrated out-of-hours service and services provided by Manx Care to be independently inspected regularly. 

Meanwhile, the first annual report of the Health and Care Transformation Programme will be presented to Tynwald in July.