Isle of Man mental health service requires 'urgent improvement'

Manannan Court opened in 2017 and replaced the old Grianagh Court facility

Care plans for patients at the Isle of Man's main mental health centre are "not fit for purpose", an independent review has concluded.

The government-commissioned report also expressed concerns about staffing levels at Manannan Court in Douglas.

The review, by Dr Tommy Dickinson, was ordered by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) after issues were raised earlier this year.

The DHSC said it was "actively looking to implement" his 17 recommendations.

Chief Minister Howard Quayle said that although "significant steps forward" had been made, more could be done for mental health patients "who deserve that improvement".

'Infectious'

Manannan Court, which replaced Grianagh Court, was opened in 2017 at a cost of £7.2m.

While the DHSC in January rejected claims the new unit was already under strain, it commissioned independent psychiatric health nurse consultant Dr Dickinson to provide a health check.

Dr Dickinson, who had previously assessed Grianagh Court, noted there were improvements at the new facility, including better defined roles, staff training and record keeping.

But he warned current patient care plans "did not appear to be evidence-based" and were in need of "urgent improvement".

He also recommended that an additional member of staff be hired.

While most staff were rotated regularly "to defuse boredom and apathy", Dr Dickinson discovered several had worked on the same ward for extended periods, risking "burn-out" and "indifference" that could become "infectious".

Citing a meeting of the Isle of Man Mental Health Commission in April, the report recommended a policy also be put in place to support the care of "trans and gender-nonconforming patients".

Health Minister David Ashford said the department was "already making very substantial progress".