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New plans indicate increase in frontline health care for Manx patients
PHARMACISTS and GPs will take on a greater role in our care under new plans set out by the Department of Health.
PHARMACISTS and GPs will take on a greater role in our care under new plans set out by the Department of Health.
Health chiefs say, over the next five years, the island’s primary health care services – the ambulance service, GPs, opticians, dentists, pharmacists, community nurses, Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital, podiatrists, speech and language therapists and those involved with prison healthcare – will start playing a bigger role, leaving the running of specialised hospital services to the expertise at Noble’s Hospital.
These frontline services provide almost 90 per cent of the healthcare provided by the health service.
And, with an ageing population, it’s believed ensuring people receive the right kind of care at the right point will become more and more vital.
Announcing the strategic framework for primary care, Health Minister David Anderson said: ‘The department’s strategy for the next decade, which has been in place since 2010, focuses on increasing the amount of treatment that takes place in the community setting, that is outside of Noble’s Hospital and by primary care. Effectively it’s about looking at our services and asking the question “does this service need to be delivered from a hospital?”.
‘Moving services out of Noble’s Hospital – only where appropriate – and continuing to invest in primary care will help to ensure that less people find themselves having to attend Noble’s Hospital for treatment, instead being cared for closer to home, at their local GP surgery for example. So it’s more convenient for the patient whilst at the same time ensuring that Noble’s Hospital can properly deploy its resources to focus on critical and acute care for patients - which is first and foremost what hospitals are designed to do - from hip replacements, to those who’ve suffered a stroke, to treating those involved in road traffic collisions.’
He said representatives of those involved in delivering primary care services, including GPs, had been involved in the working group which drew up the framework. Mr Anderson said they would continue to be involved as the department looks at how to implement the strategy.
Asked about the financial implications of the changes, the Department of Health’s director of health strategy and performance Norman McGregor Edwards said similar situations in the UK had not saved money, and if anything had increased costs. But Mr McGregor Edwards said in the main costs had arisen when wholesale changes had been made all at once, across a range of services. He said change would come gradually in the island, and only where appropriate.
Mr Anderson confirmed any extra costs would have to be found from within existing budgets and that his department would not be seeking any extra money from Tynwald.
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A snapshot of the service typically provided by primary care in the Isle of Man each day:
1,663 people see a GP or practice nurse
Over 1,900 people visit a community pharmacy
Around 3,200 prescription items are dispensed
300 people are seen by a dentist
Around 125 eye-sight tests are performed
Over 500 people are seen by Community Nurses
Around 55 people are seen by Speech and Language therapists
Approximately 80 people are seen by Community Podiatrists
Over 100 people are treated at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital
Over 35 people are transported by ambulance to Noble’s Hospital or Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital as either emergency patients or for routine care
Over 180 people receive advice from MEDS during an average weekend
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Weather for Isle of Man
Monday 20 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 9 C to 14 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 13 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: North west
