Patients wishing to complain about some healthcare services will now need to contact the provider directly under changes introduced by Manx Care.

The new arrangements came into effect on Tuesday, July 1, and apply to GP practices, dental surgeries, opticians and pharmacies.

the Isle of Man National Health Service (Complaints) Regulations 2022, which require each provider to manage its own complaints process and appoint a complaints manager and responsible person.

The organisation said the revised approach is intended to make the process 'simpler, more responsive and more patient-focused'.

Patients are being asked to raise concerns directly with the service where they received care. Manx Care said this should allow complaints to be handled more quickly, as consent to share information between organisations will no longer be required. It also aims to reduce the need for patients to repeat personal information and provide more opportunities for concerns to be resolved at an early stage.

Some services will continue to have complaints managed through the Manx Care Advice and Liaison Service (MCALS). These include Ballasalla GP Surgery, the Community Dental Service, Hillside Dental Practice, the Medicines Optimisation Team and the GP and Dental Allocation List.

Under the complaints framework, all contracted services are expected to acknowledge complaints within five working days, offer patients the opportunity to discuss their concerns and provide a response within six months.

Manx Care said it will continue to oversee complaints handling across contracted services through regular reporting, quality checks and annual audits.

Patients who are unsure where to direct a complaint can contact MCALS for advice on 642642.

Anyone who remains dissatisfied after receiving a response can ask the Health and Social Care Ombudsman Board to consider whether the complaint should be accepted for an independent review.