Manx Care and the Great North Air Ambulance Service are currently operating on a “goodwill” basis after their formal contract expired.
Discussions are ongoing over future funding arrangements.
The contract, initially established as a six-month pilot in March 2022, included a monthly retainer fee of £20,833, a mobilisation fee of £7,000 per mission, and a one-off equipment funding payment of £14,500.
The agreement had an extension option for up to 60 months, with three review points, the last of which expired in March 2024.
According to Minister for Health and Social Care Claire Christian, Manx Care informed GNAAS on February 13 2025 that the retainer fee would no longer be paid after the financial year ending April 2025.
Manx Care requested an alternative costing model from GNAAS, but the response did not address this request.
“The contract has therefore expired, and the current relationship is based on goodwill and mutual commitment,” Ms Christian told Tynwald.
A meeting is scheduled for April 1 to determine whether to continue or discontinue the service.
In the meantime, emergency air medical transport continues to be provided through a combination of GNAAS, a fixed-wing aircraft, and the HM Coastguard helicopter.
Affordability
Manx Care has expressed concerns about the long-term affordability of the service.
Ms Christian stated: “Manx Care confirmed that they would not be able to sustain funding the retainer going forward.”
She added that they had asked GNAAS to “provide an alternative per-mission costing” to offset the retainer fee but were still awaiting a proposal.
Sir Jonathan Michael
GNAAS has operated on the Isle of Man as part of healthcare transformation efforts following an independent review by Sir Jonathan Michael.
While the UK-based service is primarily funded through public donations, the Manx taxpayer had provided direct financial support.
Ms Christian acknowledged that the original plan was for the service to transition to a charitable funding model.
“The hope was that they would be able to fund that locally through donations. Unfortunately, that hasn’t transpired,” she said.
The review of the service will consider its cost-effectiveness and patient outcomes. “It is absolutely right for us to look at patient outcomes and ensure this is a necessary service,” Ms Christian told Tynwald.
Further discussions between Manx Care and GNAAS are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
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