Health minister apologises for 'inaccuracies' in Minor Injuries Unit written question response

Approval of further closure in Ramsey by Manx Care 'was not communicated' to DHSC or public

The health minister has apologised for inaccuracies in a Tynwald written question response regarding Ramsey's Minor Injuries Unit (MIU).

The answer, published earlier this month, revealed that the MIU would stay shut at weekends due to costs.

However, it's now been revealed that those closures will not be in place 'until further notice' - as originally stated - but rather the situation is to be reviewed in 'mid-November', with the aim of partially re-opening at that point.

Claire Christian confirmed the confusion came as a result of the Manx Care Board not communicating its decision to further extend the weekend closure of Ramsey's Minor Injuries Unit 'to the relevant parties'.

She told members that 'this resulted in both the Department of Health and Social Care, and the public, not being fully informed about the status of the Ramsey MIU'.

It also means the requirements of Section 8 of the Manx Care Act have been breached.

This section mandates that the DHSC must consult with the public on matters relating to its functions.

The revelations came as a result of a question in Tynwald yesterday (21 October) from Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper.

He asked: "Further to Written Answer W-202501-1862, when the decision to keep the Ramsey Minor Injury and Illness Unit closed at weekends until further notice was made, by whom, and how section 8 of the Manx Care Act was complied with prior to this decision being made."

In her statement to Tynwald, Ms Christian said, following a recommendation from the Manx Care Executive Leadership Team, the Manx Care Board approved a further six-month closure from the 14 May this year:

But Ramsey MHK - and former health minister - Mr Hooper further questioned the breach of the Manx Care Act by the DHSC failing to consult, engage or inform patients.

He asked Ms Christian what was stopping Manx Care from 'doing this same thing with another service that the public rely on':

Mr Hooper also raised concerns that there is an 'unknown impact' being felt in the north of the Island. 

He said: "There are lots of people that use the MIU that may not have access to A&E, that may have chosen not to call MEDS, that may have tried to get a GP appointment and can't.

"There is definitely a gap there, and there is no visibility on what is happening to those people who otherwise would have sought treatment at the facility'.

In response, Ms Christian said she 'completely agreed with him', and said she believed 'reopening is the will of the department'. 

She reiterated that the DHSC would 'work with Manx Care to do that'.

CHANGES

The original written answer, published on 7 October, stated: "Given that the present workforce position across Ambulatory Urgent Care Services (covering Ramsey MIU and Noble’s Minors Ambulatory Care Unit) remains below establishment, in order to minimise the requirement for agency staff to cover the gap, which would result in additional cost to Manx Care and place additional pressure on existing staff, the current decision is to keep the Ramsey MIU closed at weekends until further notice. Currently the pay expenditure position for Ambulatory Urgent Care Services is that it is moderately underspent, however employment of agency staff to cover the gap will quickly move that to an overspend given the additional pay premium agency staff attract.

"A long-term decision around the opening of Ramsey MIU will be undertaken as part of the Urgent & Emergency Integrated Care programme which has recently started its second phase of work. The programme will be looking at all Ambulatory Urgent Care services including the minor injuries service at both Noble’s & RDCH, MEDS, as well as allied services such as X Ray, to seek to improve access to urgent care 24/7 through the most clinically and cost-effective way. A decision will be made on the weekend closure of Ramsey MIU by 31 January 2026."

The updated written answer, published 10 days later on 17 October, now states: "Given that the present workforce position across Ambulatory Urgent Care Services (covering Ramsey MIU and Noble’s Minors Ambulatory Care Unit) remains below establishment, in order to minimise the requirement for agency staff to cover the gap, which would result in additional cost to Manx Care and place additional pressure on existing staff, the current decision is to keep the Ramsey MIU closed at weekends until the agreed review point of mid-November 2025 (following a decision at Manx Care Board on 14th May 2025). Currently the pay expenditure position for Ambulatory Urgent Care Services is that it is moderately underspent, however employment of agency staff to cover the gap will quickly move that to an overspend given the additional pay premium agency staff attract. 

"A long-term decision around the opening of Ramsey MIU will be undertaken as part of the Urgent & Emergency Integrated Care programme which has recently started its second phase of work. The programme will be looking at all Ambulatory Urgent Care services including the minor injuries service at both Noble’s & RDCH, MEDS, as well as allied services such as X Ray, to seek to improve access to urgent care 24/7 through the most clinically and cost-effective way. The current situation will be reviewed mid-November, as per the previous decision at the Manx Care Board that it would be reviewed after six months."

You can find the Tynwald written answer in full HERE.

Manx Radio has contacted Manx Care for comment in response to the Minister's comments.