Manx Care overspend due to predicted increasing demand, says Health Minister

DESC to ask for funding boost at February Tynwald sitting

It's not Manx Care's fault that the Department of Health and Social Care has overspent £30 million in the last financial year.

That's the message from the Health Minister ahead of a supplementary vote at next month's Tynwald sitting, which will see Lawrie Hooper's department ask for more money to balance its books.

Earlier this week, Treasury Minister Alex Allinson confirmed the overspend of four government departments.

Alongside the DESC, Education, Sport and Culture overspent by £8,900,000, Infrastructure by £5,665,000 and the Department of Home Affairs by £2,200,000.

But Mr Hooper insists the root cause of the problem, for Manx Care at least, is increasing demand: