Extra £10m funding for Isle of Man health care sought

Manx Care is in its first year of operation after being set up in April

Tynwald will be asked to support an additional £10m in spending by Manx Care as a result of "unusual costs and activity" in the health service.

The overspend is due to an increase in the use of agency and bank staff as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit-related drug price rises.

The cost of referring patients to the UK, the treatment of rare conditions, and upcoming pay rises are also cited.

Manx Care was given a budget of about £250m for its first year in operation.

The Department of Health and Social Care has retained responsibility for strategy, policy, legislation and regulation of health services, and bids for overall funding for the delivery of services on behalf of Manx Care.

Pay award

Health Minister Lawrie Hooper said the past year had been an "incredibly challenging time" for health services.

While an overspend of £7m is expected in the 2021-22 financial year, approval for a further £3m to cover a forthcoming pay award for health care staff, which was "anticipated to be above the budgeted amount" would be sought from Tynwald, he said.

Each year the treasury sets a cap on wage cost increases of 1% and anything awarded above that is expected to be found from within departmental budgets.

As part of a £15.47m uplift in the health department's funding in 2021-22, Manx Care was awarded an extra £8m to address a longstanding structural deficit in the payroll budget.

Chief executive Teresa Cope said, although it had been a "very challenging first year ", staff were "working hard to deliver an efficient, compassionate and responsive health and social care service".

She added: "It is hoped once the funding issues have been absorbed, and the pressures from Covid-19 subside, we will begin to see the cost savings and efficiencies that we are working so hard to achieve."