The Department of Health and Social Care is already on the right track to sort out its finances.

That’s the view of former health minister Kate Beecroft MHK, who was forced to resign from the post earlier this month.

She argued that the wheels were already in motion to improve the financial situation at the department, but added: ’You cannot put things in place, get by and get through everything else and then get a full year’s worth of savings just overnight. It is impossible to do.

’There are more savings initiatives that are in progress in the department that have not come to fruition yet and that should mean, by this time next year, all things being equal, we should be on a good footing.’

Mrs Beecroft made a point of praising the staff of the DHSC and frontline medics, but revealed the frustration she felt at trying to identify and implement change.

’There have been strategies over the years,’ she said.

’It is implementation of those strategies, that is where the problem is.

’Months after I had been in the department I asked for a definition of "integrated care" and a definition of "the hub". Nobody could give it to me.

’That was in a Tynwald motion in 2015.

’There still was not a definition of what they were talking about.

Nonsense

’I am sorry, but this is nonsense, absolute nonsense.’

Mrs Beecroft made clear to members the order of priorities that she believed would work for the future of health care.

’If we put the people first, economies will automatically flow from that,’ the Liberal Vannin member said.

She warned against ’short-termism’ and said that she hoped that both Chief Minister Howard Quayle and DHSC chief executive officer Malcolm Couch would offer Mr Ashford more support than she received.