Health Minister Claire Christian has apologised after inaccuracies were found in a written Tynwald response concerning the ongoing weekend closure of Ramsey’s Minor Injuries Unit (MIU).

The written answer, published earlier this month, had stated that the MIU would remain closed at weekends ‘until further notice’ due to staffing and cost pressures.

However, it has since emerged that this was incorrect, the situation is instead due to be reviewed in mid-November, with the aim of partially reopening the facility at that time.

Speaking in Tynwald on Tuesday (October 21), Ms Christian said the confusion arose because the Manx Care Board had failed to communicate its decision to extend the temporary weekend closure to the relevant parties.

‘This resulted in both the Department of Health and Social Care, and the public, not being fully informed about the status of the Ramsey MIU,’ she said.

The Health Minister confirmed that this communication failure also meant the requirements of Section 8 of the Manx Care Act, which mandates public consultation on matters relating to the department’s functions, had been breached.

The revelations came in response to a question from Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper, who asked when the decision to keep the MIU closed ‘until further notice’ had been made, by whom, and how Section 8 had been complied with.

Ms Christian explained that the Manx Care Board approved a further six-month extension to the weekend closure on May 14, following a recommendation from the Manx Care Executive Leadership Team.

She told Tynwald: ‘This recommendation was made based on evidence presented by the urgent care senior leadership team, which acknowledged that while the staffing situations with regards to Ramsey and Noble’s Minor Injury Units had modestly improved, there were still fewer nurses than were required to keep both units open safely seven days per week.’

She said data also showed ‘the weekend closure had not significantly affected [Noble’s] Emergency Department demand,’ and that ‘no formal complaints or MCALS contacts were received relating to the weekend closure.’

However, she admitted: ‘Unfortunately, the decision by the Manx Care Board to approve a further temporary closure was not communicated to the relevant parties… It also meant the requirements of Section 8 of the Act were not fulfilled.’

Ms Christian confirmed Manx Care is now ‘exploring options to enable weekend openings during mornings only, including an X-ray provision from mid-November’.

Mr Hooper, who previously served as Health Minister, expressed frustration that the law had not been followed.

‘Because the law requires that right now, any changes to services that would be detrimental to patients have to be consulted on,’ he said.

‘Clearly, it didn’t happen in this instance. What is to stop Manx Care tomorrow doing the same thing with another service that the public rely on?’

In response, Ms Christian said: ‘We are looking at reopening… mid-November.

‘The Hon. Member wants assurances, I can give him assurances that if I am informed they are looking at changing services, then the department will follow the Manx Care Act. I will be writing to Manx Care to remind them that they must also follow the Manx Care Act.’

Mr Hooper also raised concerns that ‘there is definitely a gap’ in healthcare provision for residents in the north while the MIU remains closed.

Mrs Christian said she ‘completely agreed’ and added that ‘reopening is the will of the department,’ pledging to ‘work with Manx Care to do that.’