Tynwald will be asked to approve the formation of a committee when it meets later this month.
Its current remit will be to review the working arrangements between the Department of Health and Social Care and Manx Care.
Claire Christian will seek support for a committee of five to review the governance framework, the division of responsibilities, and the statutory relationship between the DHSC and Manx Care.
There is no reference in the press release or motion as to whether or not this committee will consider Manx Care”s future viability.
Services
The arms-length body came into being on April 1 2021 charged with delivering the island’s health and social care services.
The DHSC has responsibility for setting policy and strategy, developing legislation, and for putting in place an annual mandate for Manx Care and monitoring its performance and delivery.
Ms Christian said: “Our health and social care services touch the lives of everyone on our Island, so it’s understandable that they hold a special place in our national consciousness.
“Quite rightly then, there is considerable and continuing interest and debate about how these services are run, how they are funded, and how we ensure they meet the needs of our community.
“Today marks four years since Manx Care came into operation, and it feels the right time to take stock and review the working arrangements between the DHSC and Manx Care.
“This is a complex topic, with diverging and nuanced views. It is right that any significant change to the structure of our health and care system and the legislation that underpins it be carefully considered by a Select Committee of Tynwald.”
The sitting will also see former health minister Lawrie Hooper try to challenge this year’s mandate for Manx Care which he has labelled “inadequate” and will “place on the people of the Island an unacceptable reduction in services”.
Motion
The motion is worded as follows:
The Minister for Health and Social Care to move –
- That a Select Committee of five members be established to review and take evidence on the governance framework, division of responsibilities and statutory relationship between the Department of Health and Social Care and Manx Care, with Terms of Reference to be approved by Tynwald by June 2025;
- That the Committee’s review should cover parts I and IV of the October 2024 Tynwald resolution on Health Service Reform, with a view to strengthening political representation and accountability in support of the delivery of health and care services on island; and
- That the Committee should report to the December 2025 sitting of Tynwald.
Parts 1 and 4 focussed on Reform how the healthcare professions are engaged to secure continuous improvement of healthcare and called on CoMin to bring principles for drafting a bill to amend or replace existing legislation to clarify the governance and division of responsibilities of the Department of Health and Social Care and Manx Care for debate at the January 2025 sitting of Tynwald.
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