A rapid review of bed capacity at Noble’s Hospital has been commissioned after the DHSC and Manx Care agreed that external scrutiny was needed to assess whether current mitigations are sufficient.
Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian told the House of Keys that the decision followed a quarterly performance board meeting, where both organisations reviewed the steps already taken to manage reduced bed numbers and rising pressure on services.
She said the review would “both review the mitigations and propose any further solutions” and was intended to provide assurance “to both the public and the department.”
Jason Moorhouse MHK questioned whether the move suggested strained relations between DHSC and Manx Care, but Christian rejected this, describing the process as “a good example of partnership working”.
Further questions from members highlighted concerns about the scale of bed reductions and whether the situation should have been anticipated.
Minister Christian said additional pressures, including the temporary closure of Ramsey Cottage Hospital and increased A&E demand, had accelerated the need for action.
The review will be carried out within a £10,000 budget, and is expected to be completed by the end of May.
The Minister confirmed the findings will be shared with members once finalised.
The full exchange can be listened to below:
