Isle of Man's second Manx Care community hub opens in south

The Southern Wellbeing Centre is the second of four planned hubs around the island

A second healthcare hub has been set up in the south of the island as part of a rollout by Manx Care to create more localised community services.

The Southern Wellbeing Centre is for anyone in the catchment area of Port Erin, Ballasalla and Castletown.

Health and Social Care Minister Lawrie Hooper said it would help people access care "closer to their homes".

The first hub was created in Peel in February 2020, with further hubs in the north and east being developed.

Manx Care's new model aims to deliver a new "way of working with third sector organisations" to deliver services "through a singe point of referral", a spokeswoman said.

The centre is based at Thie Rosien in Port Erin where it is hoped services would be "focused on helping people to maintain their independence within their community", she added.

Health Minister Lawrie Hooper officially opened the Southern Wellbeing Centre in Port Erin

Mr Hooper said: "Our health and care system is undergoing a widespread programme of transformation which will ultimately result in improved access to community-based health and social care services."

It would also reduce a "reliance of services traditionally provided in a hospital-based environment", he added.

While the the southern hub will have a "permanent presence" at Thie Rosien, there will also be once-a-week counter service at the Malew Parish Commissioners' office and a once-a-month service at Castletown Commissioners.

The "Wellbeing Partnership model" is part of a wider plan by Manx Care to work with the third sector, "in line with the recommendations made by Sir Jonathan Michael in his independent review".