Patient calls for more transparency over ENT waiting times and services 

She feels 'deeply distressed' to leave symptoms unresolved over a prolonged time

An Isle of Man resident who's been waiting more than four years for treatment says she feels 'deeply distressed' to leave her unresolved symptoms for such a prolonged time. 

The resident, who asked to remain anonymous, submitted a statement to Manx Radio. 

She says after waiting for four years, she was seen by the Ear, Nose and Throat Department in 2024 and a decision for surgery was made. 

"I was told I would receive a letter for my pre-assessment. In May last year, I received another appointment letter. I assumed it was my pre-assessment and took time off work to attend, only to discover on arrival, this was the exact same appointment."

According to the resident, the recall was an administrative error. She then enquired about her surgery.

"They were unable to give me a date and expressed their own frustration, advising that management had repeatedly cancelled ENT theatre time."

Over the months, the resident would enquire about theatre time and by July had her pre-assessment done. She was then told she would be operated on within six weeks.....but that timeframe passed without any date being issued. 

"When I contacted the service again three months later, I was told that further theatre time had been cancelled.  In January, I finally received a surgery date, which was then cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice, after more than four years of waiting."

The resident says the impact of this prolonged uncertainty has been significant, affecting her physical and mental health, job, and those around her. 

"The constant uncertainty, delays, shifting timelines, last-minute cancellations and lack of transparency have been extremely stressful and have left me unable to plan my life or feel any confidence that treatment will actually take place. 

"Living with unresolved symptoms for such a prolonged period is deeply distressing, particularly alongside the fear that delays could lead to further health consequences or that cancellations will simply continue indefinitely."

She says she does not blame the ENT clinicians however wants more transparency from Manx Care about ENT waiting times and service provision.

"I have been advised that long waiting times are often the result of management decisions and cancelled theatre time, rather than clinical availability. My concern lies with how ENT services are being managed and the continued publication of waiting-time information that does not reflect the reality patients are experiencing.

"This is not just my experience. I know multiple friends and colleagues who have turned to private healthcare after spending years on waiting lists, attending appointments only to be told the doctor is unavailable, or experiencing worsening conditions that require faster treatment. 

"Many others, myself included, are now considering private care because Manx Care no longer feels reliable or safe as a healthcare provider. It is deeply frustrating to contribute to a public system and then feel forced to pay again for private treatment because services are not delivered in a timely way.

"Publicly available figures show that almost 2,000 people are currently waiting for ENT treatment on the Isle of Man. During my pre-assessment, I was advised that ENT surgery only takes place one day a week, highlighting the limited theatre capacity. 

"When this is paired with repeated cancellations, it is difficult to see how waiting times can realistically be improving, despite public reassurances made in the media in recent months. I am speaking out because there is a clear gap between what the public is being told and what patients are actually experiencing."

On the Isle of Man Government website, a total of 17,120 patients are waiting for their first outpatient appointment. Of that figure, 1,973 are awaiting the ENT department with a median waiting time of 55 weeks, while 124 patients are waiting for a decision for ENT treatment.

It is Manx Care's intention to reduce 92% of patient waiting to be no more than 18 weeks.

However, waiting times could take longer where patients choose to wait for personal or social reasons or fail to attend appointments they agreed on.  

Manx Radio contacted Manx Care for a comment and the following statement has been issued:

"Manx Care sincerely apologises to patients who have faced long waits or short-notice cancellations for ear, nose and throat (ENT) care. We fully recognise the distress, inconvenience and loss of confidence that this causes and we are sorry that our services have not met expectations on this occasion.

"Some patients have waited longer that we would wish and it is extremely upsetting for patients. We are taking steps to improve the reliability and capacity of ENT services, reviewing how surgeries are scheduled, strengthening contingency arrangements when clinicians are unavailable, strengthening our links with larger UK units, and progressing off-island treatment options for care that cannot presently be delivered on Island.

"Where short-notice postponement of surgery occurs, those patients are prioritised for re-booking and we are working to improve communication so patients are kept informed as early and clearly as possible.

"While we cannot comment on individual cases, we strongly encourage patients who are concerned about their care or waiting times to contact Manx Care through the Manx Care Advice and Liaison Service so their situation can be reviewed and supported. We are committed to learning from these experiences and to rebuilding trust by delivering safer, more timely care."