Manx Care's five-year history broken down
After five and a half years in the role the chief executive of Manx Care today (12 May) announced she'll be stepping down.
In a letter sent to staff members Teresa Cope confirmed she'll be leaving her position at the end of June.
She says she has 'loved' her time as chief executive saying she has 'had the opportunity to work with the most talented, compassionate and dedicated colleagues, many of whom I can call friends'.
But what have the last five years been like for the boss of our Island's healthcare service?
We take a look back at the past half-decade.
OCTOBER 2020
Back in October 2020, Teresa Cope was confirmed as the new chief executive for Manx Care, which was emerging as the new delivery organisation for health and social care services for the Island, following the 2019 publication of the Sir Jonathan Michael Report.
She joined from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and took up her post from 1 December, whilst the Island was in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
A Health and Care Transformation Programme bulletin at the time said: "With a career in healthcare spanning 30 years, she worked as a radiographer for many years before moving into management where she has held senior positions in health trusts spanning acute hospitals, mental health, community and primary care services."
APRIL 2021
Manx Care was officially established on 1 April 2021 following receipt of Royal Assent for the Manx Care Act 2021.
Within one week, the organisation was forced to defend itself from criticism, after a picture of senior leaders meeting in person in a boardroom caused alarm online.
The photograph showed the first executive management team meeting, with at least eight people - all wearing masks - could be seen gathered around a table.
It sparked concern that those involved were in breach of Covid-19 regulations; something denied by the body.
The incident perhaps best highlighted the shifting nature of the ongoing pandemic over the first year of Manx Care in which the goalposts were often moving.
Over the next few months, visitor restrictions at Noble's hospital were enforced, then eased, then enforced again, care homes were closed, testing was undertaken at the TT Grandstand and Public Health published a weekly surveillance report, breaking down the latest numbers in stark detail.
MAY 2021
Early in Ms Cope's tenure it became clear that waiting lists, or more specifically, tackling waiting lists was going to be a hot topic of conversation.
In May 2021, Manx Care confirmed to Manx Radio that it was in the process of asking Treasury for more money to help tackle the backlog.
Maximum waiting times for first appointments in some areas had reached almost five years, there were more than 3,300 people waiting for a cardiology referral, with a maximum waiting time for a first appointment of 2.4 years, and those waiting to be seen in endocrinology could wait 1,751 days – or 4.7 years.
Another recurring issue often discussed over the last five years has been breast cancer treatment, with Manx Care admitting in July 2021 it had struggled to see women with breast cancer symptoms within two weeks of referral.
SEPTEMBER 2021
By September that year the health body was seeing a reduction in that backlog by commissioning support from Spire Murrayfield Hospital in North-West England.
Teresa Cope also announced hopes to bring in another breast radiologist, train up extra breast radiographers and look to appoint a breast surgeon.
OCTOBER 2021
Another buzzword in your Manx Care bingo emerged in October 2021, when communication was addressed for the first time, with Ms Cope confirming she wanted to implement a 'firm' communications plan.
It was also this month that it emerged Noble's Hospital was operating with under half of the anaesthetists it should have.
After a six-week suspension elective surgery resumed by December, but a significant backlog remained.
By January 2022 six new anaesthetists joined the organisation and the elective surgery programme was said to be 'building back'.
EARLY 2022
In early 2022, the Department of Health and Social Care sought an additional £10 million for Manx Care and the Island's healthcare focus also shifted for a time to the employment tribunal of Dr Rosalind Ranson.
In March, plans were announced to use external medical providers to try and reduce hospital waiting lists on the Isle of Man at a cost of £1.8 million.
The hospital was also under pressure as a surge in Covid-19 cases saw an increase in patients and staff absence alike.
SUMMER 2022
In May 2022, TT returned to the Isle of Man and Manx Care spearheaded the racing fortnight's medical response for the first time.
The verdict after the races was that it had coped 'extremely well' with the additional pressures.
In July, a pay dispute emerged, with Royal College of Nursing members saying they couldn't go on underwriting the financial pressures in the Manx healthcare system.
OCTOBER 2022
The Department of Health and Social Care asked Tynwald for an extra £18.3 million to reduce waiting lists within the health service.
That funding was approved with the promise that some patients awaiting orthopaedic surgery could see their wait time drop from 46 weeks to just four.
EARLY 2023
In January 2023, it was revealed that Manx Care had spent more than £30 million on bank and agency staff in 2022.
A Freedom of Information request revealed more than £15 million was used to bring in workers from agencies, while bank work - extra hours for those already employed by Manx Care - came to £15.1 million.
The figures showed that Manx Care was routinely spending more than £2 million each month on the additional resources.
In March, it was revealed that problem was ongoing, as it was still operating with a 20 per cent vacancy rate – meaning one in five positions within the health service was unfilled.
JUNE 2023
In June, a survey of doctors working at Noble's undertaken by the British Medical Association 'evidenced a culture of poor senior leadership, doctors not being treated with respect and not being given enough resources'.
The second 'Culture of Care Barometer' survey of the Island's medics contained many damning findings.
SEPTEMBER 2023
Three days of industrial action by nurses disrupted the Island's health service in September 2023.
Royal College of Nursing members walked out as part of an ongoing dispute calling for better pay and conditions.
OCTOBER 2023
In October 2023, an Ofted report found that risks in relation to children at risk of exploitation in the Island were 'not always fully identified, understood and assessed'.
The external regulator was invited to carry out inspections of the services operated by the Children’s and Families Service, which are delivered or commissioned by Manx Care, in April and May of 2023 over a two-week period.
In response to the findings, Manx Care said it was developing a 'multi-agency response'.
Separately, Treasury approved additional funds to facilitate a new pay offer for nurses to prevent further strike action.
LATE 2023/EARLY 2024
In November 2023, on Manx Radio's Mannin Line programme, Ms Cope declared that Manx Care remained underfunded.
It came as the Island's healthcare provider was given £308 million by Treasury in that financial year, but was expected to spend £330 million.
In December, Professor Wendy Reid was appointed as new non-executive chair.
Manx Care's budget also remained a subject which didn't fade, with an increase in Income Tax announced in the February 2024 Budget designed to go solely towards healthcare and generate approximately £20 million.
MAY 2024
An additional £3.4m in funding was approved in May 2024 to 'transform children's mental health services on the Island'.
SEPTEMBER 2024
In September 2024, a former Manx Care employee - Kevin Oliphant-Smith - started a ‘Save Our Health Services’ Facebook page and launched a petition ‘demanding’ the resignation of the chief executive.
In the same month, the healthcare body condemned what it described as 'personal, named attacks' targeting members of its leadership team on social media, labelling it 'bullying'.
OCTOBER 2024
In October 2024, Manx Care arguably came up against its biggest controversy to date.
It was confirmed that the number of elective theatre sessions was to be reduced by an average of 5.5 per week as a cost-cutting measure.
One week later, it announced it was in the process of implementing an additional £5 million worth of saving schemes.
If successful, the board said the measures would bring its overspend down to £8 million that financial year.
However, several of the 11 schemes outlined impact patient-facing services, from the Ramsey Minor Injuries unit to mental health contracts.
It eventually led to a fallout which saw Douglas South MHK Claire Christian saying Manx Care was 'holding a gun to the head of government' after announcing a series of cuts to its services, then-Health Minister Lawrie Hooper stepping down, and the chief minister saying there 'clearly' needed to be a rethink on how government policies - and their impacts - are communicated to the public.
By February 2025, health bosses were facing scrutiny from a Tynwald committee on the cuts, with Ms Cope admitting she felt 'undermined' by politicians over the plans.
But the DHSC - and now Health Minister Claire Christian - insisted the relationship between the department and Manx Care was 'not broken'.
In March 2025, Manx Care and the Great North Air Ambulance Service agreed a new contract after the future links had been left in doubt.
JULY 2025
In July 2025, Ms Cope described motorsport-related activity as "an unfunded cost pressure" in the organisation's board papers.
She said the cost impact the Island's motorsports events have on Manx Care needs to be resolved in future, if health services are to be delivered on budget.
Meanwhile, the waiting list for the Island's child and adolescent mental health services halved over the previous 12 months following on from earlier funding intervention.
In May 2024, just over 1,200 young people were waiting to receive support from CAMHS - in May 2025 that number had fallen to 635.
Another ongoing challenge in terms of waiting lists that has persisted in recent years is that of dental services.
In July 2025, there were 6,463 people on the list - an increase of more than 200 since March 2025.
OCTOBER 2025
In October 2025 some of Manx Care's issued moved North as it announced a temporary ward closure at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital.
That closure has become a prolonged saga, as further problems emerged once teams moved into Martin Ward to resolve a pest control issue.
The hospital is still impacted now, as of May 2026.
FEBRUARY 2026
Back in February, Ms Cope confirmed the amount the health body was spending on 'premium agency staff' has more than halved in recent years.
She also welcomed the increase in the health body's budget for this financial year, which is £404.2 million - up from £361.8 million last year.
She said it showed Manx Care's mandate was, for the first time, being funded properly.
MARCH 2026
In March this year, concerns were raised by the Medical Staff Committee over what it said is a ‘critical shortfall’ in inpatient beds; something it claimed risks patient safety.
Last month, it was announced that overall bed capacity at Noble's Hospital was going to be the subject of an 'independent rapid review'.
Commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care, that review is ongoing.
MAY 2026
Last week, Manx Radio brought you the story of a boy who had to travel to Alder Hey by boat because Manx Care allegedly refused to provide an air ambulance.
You can read more here.
When responding to the claims first raised on social media, Manx Care told Manx Radio it cannot comment on individual cases - that response, whilst standard for the health body, was critiqued by the boy's family and the wider public alike.
We of course approached Manx Care for further comment on that story, but did not receive one.
Jump to today, and Ms Cope has announced she'll be stepping down from her role at the end of June.
In response to her resignation, Health Minister Claire Christian said the ongoing governance review will be able to be completed before Ms Cope's replacement is recruited.
She said: "The governance review has pointed to a range of areas in which things are working well, but also areas where improvements can be made and Tynwald have asked for these areas to be reviewed and opportunities for any improvements to come back.
"Teresa’s decision to move on to the next chapter of her career will allow us an opportunity to conclude the review before we proceed to recruit and I look forward to working with the team including Teresa and Wendy and the Manx Care Board on establishing interim arrangements going forward.”
WHAT NEXT?
So, what happens next?
That's currently unclear, but what is obvious is that certain issues remain, and ever-present questions of funding, waiting lists, communication breakdowns and service provision will be undoubtedly be handed to the next chief executive.
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