Manx Care proposed not transferring critically unwell patients overnight and closing the Minor Injuries Unit in Ramsey in a bid to save cash.
The details of the proposed cuts revealed under FoI, were outlined in a letter from the Chief Minister and came from the time he was also serving as Health Minister.
In the letter to Manx Care chair Professor Wendy Reid, dated November 1, Alf Cannan said ministers would not support the measures that also included the closure of the Manx Emergency Doctor Service.
Mr Cannan said that CoMin had considered the requests but “resolved very clearly that it could not support those plans in frontline areas”.
Budget
The need for additional mitigations came as Manx Care sought to address its overspend, which will this week seek the Treasury Minister seek an extra £20m be taken from reserves to cover overspends in DHSC and Manx Care.
In response, Manx Care asked DHSC to consider ceasing the Shingles vaccination programme, closing Ramsey’s MIU, closing the Manx Emergency Doctors Service, closing two wards at Noble’s, reducing the overnight ambulance provision, suspending the GNAAS service, revising contracts with non-statutory services, stop funding patient transfer escorts and not transferring critically unwell patients overnight
Mr Cannan said: “These additional mitigations, in the form of detailed savings schemes with potential service impacts were considered by the DHSC Board on 28th October, and it was agreed that they should be presented to the Council of Ministers to seek a direction on whether some, all or none of these options should be pursued in the interests of closing the financial gap.
“Council considered these schemes very carefully at its meeting on October 31 and resolved very clearly that it could not support those plans in frontline areas which would have a direct impact on the public.”
Duplication
Mr Cannan told Professor Reid that CoMin was however “strongly supportive of ensuring that any duplication of effort between Manx Care and the government shared services is nullified”.
He added: “Council would like to request more transparency around some of those areas of spend, particularly on management and administrative overheads, as I think it will be reassuring to members of Tynwald and the public that you are taking these concerns seriously and are bearing down on those costs appropriately.”
This letter was written at a time when the Mandate for Manx Care was being formulated, which is leading to cuts in services that have been criticised by the Isle of Man Medical Society.
Mr Cannan said that he was “optimistic that we are capable of shaping services to fit within allocated budgetary frameworks”.
You can read the full letter below:
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