Ramsey Cottage Hospital will undergo a series of changes next year to provide intermediate care for the elderly.

Health chiefs announced earlier this month that the cottage hospital will be providing a ’step up’ programme to accommodate recovering patients from Noble’s Hospital.

The change is hoped to solve bed-blocking by having an additional 10 beds to allow 31 patients with the care they need before they are well enough to return home.

Ramsey Cottage Hospital, which includes the catchment area of the river in Laxey to Glen Wyllin in Kirk Michael, will receive two full-time consultants to cover the inpatients ward instead of GPs.

Other facilities at the hospital, open to all islanders, include a minor injuries and illness unit and services from physiotherapy to minor surgery.

As part of the general health care ’shake-up’, the chemotherapy ward at Noble’s will be relocating back into the main building and one of its medical wards will close.

The Examiner went to the streets of Ramsey to ask the public their thoughts on the intermediate care set to take place in January and February.

’Yes, I’ve heard that the Ramsey hospital is taking on a convalescent system to free up beds from Noble’s,’ said Davina Bocock, an 81-year-old from Ramsey, who used to volunteer at the cottage hospital.

’I should think that will work. It’s a good idea with the older people and anything that keeps the place open is a good thing because it’s a long way for many people to go all the way down to Douglas,’ she added.

Her partner, Ronald Arnold, 82, told the Examiner that he had not been to the northern hospital in years and hopes that the waiting times will be reduced by the changes.

He said: ’I used to spend more time waiting there then seeing a doctor. However, the care was very good.’

Another person positive about the department’s choice to provide more beds and consultants in inpatient care was Irene Dent, 78, from Ramsey.

’It’s a brilliant idea. It will help bring the waiting list down, but I am worried about whether there is going to be less people working more.’

Allan Dent aged 84, agreed with his wife saying that the addition of 10 beds was an ’advantage to everybody’.

Another concern for the Dents was the care at the district hospital, as they both prefer Noble’s Hospital.

’I’ve never had anything I didn’t like at Noble’s,’ Irene explained.

Jasmine Conway, 30, from Maughold said: ’For the nation, it’s going to be a positive change and impact, however, it comes down to the funding and how long the service is going to last for.

’It’s been years since I visited the cottage hospital. I tend to use Douglas more, but I do think it will be useful to the island to have these general changes in Ramsey.’

Ballaugh resident, Jane Teare, agreed that the plan for intermediate care is a ’brilliant’ way to help those in recovery.

’You cannot find a better way of treatment for the elderly who are waiting to feel well again. It’s a lovely idea.’

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For more on the chemo ward move, see page 24.