Dropping health levy 'protects equitable care'

The Isle of Man Medical Society has welcomed the move to drop a levy

The government's decision to drop a proposed 2% health levy will "help protect equitable access to care", the Isle of Man Medical Society has said.

Last week, the government confirmed that proposals to introduce the charge, in a bid to generate an extra £28m a year for health care services, had been scrapped.

Welcoming the decision, the society said it "demonstrates a constructive response to the concerns raised by healthcare professionals, patients, and the wider community".

Dr Vineet Varshney, honorary secretary of the group, said the move "reflects a commitment to fairness and to ensuring that healthcare remains accessible to all".

The society would work "collaboratively with policymakers to strengthen services and deliver long-term improvements for patients and professionals alike," Dr Varshney continued.

The group had previously raised concerns the proposed levy would have a "regressive impact on vulnerable people" on the island.

'Remove financial pressures'

A consultation on the proposals run from March received more than 3,800 responses, and although they have not yet been published, Treasury Minister Alex Allinson previously said it "helped to gauge public appetite" on the charge.

The levy would have been deducted from people's incomes through the existing tax return system to tackle rising healthcare costs.

The charge would have applied regardless of age, as well as to those not currently subject to personal income tax such as lump sums on retirement, war pensions, TT homestay payments, mortgage interest relief and some social security benefits.

The medical society said it believed dropping the proposals would "help protect equitable access to care, remove financial pressures on vulnerable groups, and support the sustainability of the island's health system".

It said it "remained committed to constructive engagement" with the government, and to ensure "future reforms prioritise patient outcomes, professional wellbeing, and the resilience of the Island's healthcare system".