Manx Care says the Manx Emergency Doctor Service is safe from closure for the time being.
A document circulated by the Chief Minister confirmed that closing MEDS for the rest of the financial year would save £550,000.
In a statement, Manx Care said: “In early September Manx Care was instructed by the then minister for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to identify how it could achieve financial balance in this financial year beyond the savings that had already been agreed by the Manx Care Board.
On September 17, Manx Care submitted a confidential document to the DHSC detailing how a further £4 million of savings could be achieved in this year.
“The temporary closure of MEDS was on that list, which would save £550k for the final six months of the year.
“Many of these schemes on that confidential list, including the temporary closure of MEDS had been considered and rejected by the Manx Care Board as not palatable, on the grounds that these schemes have a high adverse impact on the quality and provision of patient care and patient and service user experience.
“However, Manx Care would commit to implement these schemes and monitor their impact if mandated to do so by the DHSC and Council of Ministers.”
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