Isle of Man virtual appointments rolled out to cut waiting lists

Virtual appointments in seven specialist areas will be offered

Patients on the Isle of Man are to be offered virtual appointments with specialists in a bid to drive waiting lists down, Manx Care has said.

The outpatient appointments will be rolled out across seven clinical specialist areas.

About 6,000 consultations are expected to be held under the plans.

Manx Care's chief executive Teresa Cope said disruption caused by Covid had shown there was "very much a place" for the appointments.

Patient referrals in cardiology, ear nose and throat, gastroenterology, respiratory medicine, pain management, orthopaedics and routine dermatology will be covered.

Faster treatment

But Manx Care has warned not all those waiting for assessments will be eligible and those who are, and have consented, will be contacted in the coming weeks.

Those who require in-person appointments will continue to be able to do so.

It is part of a commercial partnership between the island's health care provider and Medefer, which offers the services of specialists on a private basis to health services.

Ms Cope said many patients had a condition that do not require physical examinations.

She said virtual appointments would faster, and would create more capacity.

More than £1.8m in additional funding for Manx Care to tackle waiting lists was approved in July last year.