The Department of Health and Social Care asked Tynwald to approve a budget it knew was millions short of what Manx Care actually needed.
Minister Claire Christian told the Public Accounts Committee the department secured a £357m budget in February 2025 while being fully aware the true requirement was at least £361.8m, plus an additional £10 million contingency fund.
When asked by Lawrie Hooper why the department did not request the full amount, Ms Christian said: “I think this was the new scenario of this £10m contingency budget.
“So this was the first year that we understand was being done.”
From Day One
Mr Hooper pressed further, noting Manx Care had been “very clear from day one” about the shortfall.
He asked why Tynwall was asked to approve £357m when it was known “it was going to be at least £15m more that you needed”.
The minister acknowledged the system had forced her predecessors into an impossible position.
Speaking about the previous year’s budget setting, she said: “We were saying, in that mandate, this is what we can do, and here are the risks. These are the unfunded parts.”
However, Ms Christian insisted this year’s process had changed. She said: “We weren’t going to produce a mandate that didn’t have approved funding, because we didn’t want to have those risks, and to put Manx care in that same situation.”