The shake-up of the island’s health and care services officially starts on Thursday.

Manx Care will ’go live’ on April 1.

It is a new statutory body, designed to operate at arms’ length from the Department of Health and Social Care and focused on the delivery of services.

The creation of the organisation come after Sir Jonathan Michael’s critical review.

Sir Jonathan set out a series of far-reaching recommendations to change the way the health service works.

Manx Care is responsible for delivering services, while the DHSC is responsible for strategic policy, regulation and legislation.

Services provided by Manx Care and the funding for them are defined in a formal agreement with DHSC known as the Mandate, giving Manx Care scope to provide services either directly or by commissioning them from others.

The organisation will be led by new bosses and becomes the employer of more than 3,000 health and care staff.

Manx Care has been running in shadow form alongside DHSC since the start of the year, in preparation for taking over.

For patients, service users and the public, services will continue to be provided as before at the same places.

Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford said: ’Manx Care’s launch is a line in the sand, signifying our determination to ensure modern, sustainable and relevant services are provided to the island’s population.

’There is much still to do, and work to embed our new approach will continue. Transformation is a process not an event, and I am confident it will bear fruit for the benefit of patients, service users and the wider public.

He added: ’This is very much the end of the beginning, as a new chapter opens and Manx Care begins its work. I wish all involved in the new organisation the very best for the journey ahead.’

Staff have been told about Manx Care’s plans and asked for their views.

The initiative has seen Manx Care’s chair designate Andrew Foster CBE and chief exectutive designate Teresa Cope host regular question and answer sessions sessions and write weekly blogs.

Staff helped to choose Manx Care’s new logo, which will be widely seen on uniforms, stationery and online.

Ms Cope said: ’It is very exciting and a privilege to lead our new organisation, whose success matters to everyone in the island.

’The establishment of Manx Care is a milestone on a longer journey to transform health and care services, and while change won’t happen overnight, it will come in time and we are committed to making tangible improvements in year one.

’From the start our new structure will give a prominent role to patients and service users, with colleague engagement and fostering a positive culture a priority for us.

She added: ’We are starting with a fresh, outward looking approach which aims to be both dynamic and responsive, as we focus on delivering integrated high quality care in the right place at the right time. Input from those who provide our services and those who use them is paramount if this is to be achieved.’

Sir Jonathan’s recommendations were unanimously approved by Tynwald, and proved the starting point for a fundamental re-think of the existing system.