Frances Tinkler, Health Co-ordinator at charity Manx Mencap, has said that government is not meeting the needs of the island’s population with learning disabilities.

It comes after figures were published which shows that Hollydene, a respite unit located in Radcliffe Villas, Douglas, has seen an increase in demand over the past five years.

Whilst it is supporting 52 individuals with learning disabilities in comparison to 38 in 2018, the number of whole time equivalent (WTE) staff has increased from 13.5 to 15.5 WTE in the period.

Health and Social Care minister, Lawrie Hooper, who was asked on the matter said: ‘Since June 2022 there have been seven rounds of recruitment for both substantive and relief staff across learning disability services. Due to the Covid 19 Pandemic there was no recruitment in 2020 and only one round in 2021.

‘Necessary relief and agency staff have been used to ensure the continuation of service delivery, particularly for those with the most complex needs.’

He added: ‘Radcliffe Villas does not meet the standards set out in the Regulation of Care Act and has therefore been undergoing a gradual decommissioning process.

‘This decommissioning process will culminate (subject to Tynwald approval) in a new purpose built respite facility. This Capital project, alongside the required increase in operational costs, will enable the service to operate at a higher occupancy rate than current levels.’

Charity Manx Mencap has put forward plans for a centre which would be additional to the proposed plans by Manx Care, to further increase capacity.

Manx Mencap’s plans have had no government backing.

Ms Tinkler said: ‘We envisage a 15 bedded unit, where they all have their own flats, but they have a community room. They have their own kitchen but there is also communal kitchens, so they have somewhere to socialise, but somewhere to be by themselves if they need to.

‘It would be staffed 24 hours a day by one member of staff, because these are people who are very independent but who find it difficult to cope with the unexpected.’

‘We wanted to repurpose Hollydene and Appledene, but we need government support once the building is done, but government has told us that it isn’t necessary.’

That is despite the charity being contacted by 29 families who said they feel the plans are necessary.

Ms Tinkler said that Manx Care’s proposals include a large car park which is not necessary for a respite unit, and that the land is big enough for both plans.

The figures are just ‘the tip of the iceberg’, says Ms Tinkler.

She said: ‘I think there are many people on the waiting list, statistically we have 1900 people on island with a learning disability, 70 of those are catered for in community houses.

‘That is a huge cohort of people out there who are getting no service, or very little service.’

‘There are many people who can’t go to respite because of the mix of people that are there at a time, because of staffing issues, or because parents can’t get them a place.’

Asked on the impact of not getting respite, Ms Tinkler said: ‘It just leads to families who are truly exhausted. Losing respite is a really big blow for a family, whereas it might seem like a very small thing to someone who is not in that situation, but it really has an impact.’