There have been NO cutbacks to the patient escort service offered by the DHSS, according to the department's director of strategy and performance.
There were concerns expressed in a recent Tynwald debate that the service, which allows for an escort to accompany a patient for off-Island medical treatment, was being curtailed after changes to criteria.
East Douglas MHK Brenda Cannell said a total of nine categories eligible for escort were being reduced to just four and the changes had been made by the Minister for Health.
However, Norman McGreggor-Edwards says the system has merely been simplified after consultation with clinicians (audio file attached):
MiCard users advised to take money out before the end of the year
'Nothing else could have been done' to save some small fish at Clypse Reservoir
'Come back to the table,' says DOI minister
Consultation seeks feedback on changes to IOM first time buyer schemes