The average number of patients waiting in Noble’s Hospital’s Emergency Department for a bed has increased over the last five years.
However, the figure still remains lower than figures available for NHS trusts.
Data released by the Health Minister Claire Christian shows the average number of patients in ED awaiting a bed stood at 4.06 in January 2026, compared to 1.21 in January 2021.
The figures, published in response to a question from Onchan MHK Julie Edge, provide a monthly snapshot of bed occupancy at the hospital at midnight over the past 60 months.
Average bed occupancy at the hospital reached 91.94% in January 2026, above the 85% level generally regarded by the English NHS as the maximum safe operating limit.
OPEL
The data also includes Operational Pressure Escalation Level (OPEL) scores recorded twice daily since November 2021.
The scoring system, developed in the NHS, measures pressures including ambulance handover delays and bed availability.
According to the minister’s response: “Action cards determine the actions required to respond to each OPEL level, with OPEL 4 requiring a system wide response to reduce pressure within hospital services.”
The document notes that staffed bed capacity “cannot be reported within this response, as this data is not contained within any Manx Care digital system”.
A project is underway to procure a digital system to assist with managing staffing levels, with the business case currently being developed.