Staffing issues lead to closure of Manx out-of-hours doctor service

The overnight service has been affected by several closures throughout 2023

An out-of-hours medical advice helpline will be temporary closed overnight, Manx Care has said.

The Manx Emergency Doctor Service (Meds) will shut between 00:00 and 08:00 GMT due to staffing issues.

A spokesman for the health care provider said the GPs who were due to cover the shift were not now able to.

Daytime commitments and required rest periods for doctors mean Manx Care could not always provide cover, she added.

Those who need overnight medical attention have been told go to the Emergency Department at Nobles hospital, or call 999 for an ambulance in the case of an emergency.

Calls to Meds during the closure would be redirected to the Nobles Hospital switchboard, the Manx Care spokesman said.

Staffing issues have led to closure of the service, which is available to patients who cannot wait to see their GPs the next working day, several times across 2023.

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