Health service being 'underfunded', says minister

Recent savings plans include cuts to elective surgery lists to save about £220,000

A further £5m of cuts to services in a bid to reduce a £16.8m overspend is proof the Isle of Man's health care service is "underfunded", a minister has insisted.

Last week Manx Care announced short-term service reductions following communications from the government to stay within its £346m budget.

Health Minister Lawrie Hooper told Tynwald there would be "knock-on consequences" for patients but the body had "very limited options" to make savings.

But Tim Glover MHK said residents felt they were "paying more and getting less" following a 2% personal income tax rise, which the Treasury said was ringfenced for health.

Manx Care was created to take over from the Department of Health and Social Care as an arm's-length provider of health services following a review by former NHS Foundation Trust chief executive Sir Jonathan Michael.

'Counterproductive'

During the October sitting of Tynwald, Hooper told politicians almost all of a £77m increase to the budget since the body's inception had been absorbed by pay awards, increasing drugs costs and improving staffing levels.

David Ashford MHK asked if planned delays to elective surgeries meant the body was "setting itself up to fail" in the next financial year, as those patients affected were not "going to get any better".

Agreeing it would lead to longer waits, Hooper said: "I don’t think it's realistic to expect a recovery unless extra resources are allocated by the government to do that."

He also acknowledged concerns voiced by Ann Corlett MHK, who said the move was "counterproductive" following and £18m spend to reduce wait times.

Responding to Glover's concerns value for money may be being "put over patient safety", the minister reassured members Manx Care maintained the move was "within an acceptable level of risk".

However, he said the health care provider had had to make the cuts as it had "very few options available" to balance the books.

The recent raft of savings was "about stopping money going out the door" after "clear instructions" from the government, he said.

Further measures to "close the remaining financial gap" would be considered in the coming weeks, he added.