Delaying non-urgent off-island surgery to save £1m

The cancellation of non-urgent, off-island procedures could save an estimated £1m, the Health and Social Care Minister has said.

It follows last week's confirmation that there would be a reduction to some upcoming on-island elective surgeries, as well as cancellations to non-urgent procedures in Liverpool and Manchester - until 31 March.

In an update to the House of Keys, Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian said Manx Care faced "very real financial challenges in managing the service within its budget".

But MHK Ann Corlett said rescheduling appointments to after 31 March was "not a saving", but merely pushing those costs into the next financial year.

The island's health care provider has been tasked with making "efficiencies" in a bid to keep its budget deficit to no more than £15m this financial year.

In mid-January, Manx Care took the first steps towards cutting back on some forthcoming on-island elective surgeries - as part of a raft of stated cost-cutting measures - but that move was partially reversed after it received an additional £800,000 from Treasury.

MHK Joney Faragher questioned whether the health minister was aware "how scary" the situation had been for the general public, and "how let down people are feeling by our health service".

Christian "acknowledged" the impact on the community, which was why, she said, the Department for Health and Social Care had intervened with "proposals to maintain on-island elective care".

However, following their commitment to cut spending last October - to reduce a forecasted £16.8m overspend - the Manx Care Board had continued to monitor its budget and was determined that "further measures were necessary", she said.

Furthermore, the department had backed a review of the care delivered off-island with Christian suggesting it was "good for patients" as they would not be inconvenienced in travelling for "unnecessary" appointments.

In addition, the move would help save costs "given the increase in off-island care" over recent years.

Christian stated about 600 patients would be impacted by the measures, of which about 450 were follow-up appointments with "no specific clinical benefits" to being on the mainland.

The remaining 150 appointments would be rescheduled "as soon as possible" after 31 March, she added.

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