GP education session to improve cancer services

The island's 14 GP surgeries are to close for afternoon appointments

Manx doctors are to take part in an education session to improve cancer and primary care services on the Isle of Man.

It means routine afternoon GP appointments will not be available on 13 March.

Surgeries will remain open for the day for patients to order repeat prescriptions, make future appointments or make other enquiries.

However Manx Care said specific appointments would not be available from 13:00 GMT on the day.

The collaborative education session is set to include a number of clinicians from different cancer sites.

A Manx Care spokeswoman said it was a "fantastic opportunity for the two specialities to come together and build on existing knowledge".

The session would enable the healthcare body to "ensure colleagues are kept up to date and well informed regarding cancer services on the island, and how we link in to our tertiary centres in the UK", she said.

"It is important that teams work, learn and share together," she added.

An on-call doctor will be available to see patients in need of an urgent GP appointment during the period.

The Manx Emergency Doctor Service will also be available from 18:00 until midnight, the healthcare body said.