The Chief Minister says two critical reports about Noble’s Hospital ignore the good work that goes on there.

Howard Quayle spoke out after grave concerns about funding, strategy and leadership at Noble’s were raised in two Public Accounts Committee reports.

The reports come ahead of Sir Jonathan Michael’s healthcare review report to be debated in the May sitting of Tynwald.

In its report ’Overspending at Noble’s Hospital: One Year On’, the committee found ’insufficient evidence of adequate improvement’ and ’scant reason’ for optimism that suitable measures were in place for the Department of Health and Social Care to implement strategic change.

The findings of the PAC’s two reports will be fully considered by the Council of Ministers who will submit a detailed response to the May Tynwald.

The Chief Minister said he was waiting for Health Minister David Ashford to report back on actions needed.

Mr Quayle pointed out that other areas had been given a clean bill of health and he added: ’Let’s not ignore some of the good things - the hard-working staff at the coal face are not being criticised.’

Health Minister Minister David Ashford said: ’These reports are the result of a great deal of work by the Public Accounts Committee.

’We need to reflect on what they say and respond appropriately.

’While there are clearly matters of concern, the committee acknowledges that much work has been underway in the past year to improve the way the department is run and services are provided.

’The report contains many observations but only two recommendations and these are both concerned with the publication of data.

’I look forward to debating the PAC report and Council of Ministers’ response in May. ’At this point we will also have the final report from Sir Jonathan Michael’s independent review into health and social care services, which will provide the widest possible context.’

The first PAC report also criticised the ’farce’ of the department’s vision document that was copy and pasted from a Wigan Council health strategy.

It said this gave rise to more fundamental concerns over whether resources are really aligned to deliver big change in the way the DHSC operates.

’The evidence suggests that there is still no clear strategy, target operating model, timescales, agreed outcomes, or identified extra funding for integrated care,’ it said.

The committee also found ’weak and ineffective leadership’, starting with those at the top of the organisation, has resulted in a ’failure to prioritise and tackle issues in a timely manner, or set up good processes of governance to ensure accountability and direction within the organisation.

’All of this combined gives the committee grave concerns about value for money in Noble’s and the DHSC,’ the report concludes.

The second PAC report, on ’Overspending at Noble’s Hospital: Staffing’, found ’areas of significant concern’ with ’special or urgent need of action’, and Noble’s Hospital to be ’an organisation in fundamental need of reform’.

Staffing comprises more than 80% of the cost base of Noble’s Hospital.

The PAC found ’pockets of unacceptable behaviour, poor data, poor financial management and failures of leadership’.

It said: ’The negative impact of poor organisational culture on staff morale, and staff’s ability to deliver the best outcomes as well as value for money should not be underestimated.’

The committee said its report and the Michael review were ’once in a generation opportunities to lay down a path for progress for our health service’. ’We ignore them at our peril,’ it added.

PAC chairman Juan Watterson said: ’Regrettably, our findings identified repeated failures of leadership and good governance but the DHSC does appear to be "turning a corner", although there is still much more to be done.’