A meeting at Douglas Legion has shown the need for wide ranging debate on the future of health and care funding.

Residents at the meeting admitted their fears of having to pay for their care in later life and this costing them their homes or savings they wish to pass on to their families.

Minister for Policy and Reform Chris Thomas said: ’Arrangements around nursing and residential care are complex and often emotive, and feedback from the recent focus groups has shown that there is a desire for more information on the current system and a feeling from the public that they lack an understanding in how the system operates.

’This is what we aimed to deliver, for me it is absolutely crucial that we build a consensus about the way forward and government and society must seek to build this consensus.’

Mr Thomas noted that those at the meeting felt that the way funding for care has developed is one which the public want addressing and possibly no longer support.

This a situation that Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford MHK recognises saying ’there are concerns, people obviously want to be looked after but also want to be able to leave something to their families’.

He said: ’This is a long overdue debate, past administrations perhaps haven’t explored this issue with the public.’

Mr Ashford explained that current government projections say the island population by 2031 will be 23.3% over 60 with 30.3% over 85.

He said: ’People are living longer and that should be celebrated but we also have to think how do we care for an ageing society?

A study in 2017 placed the Isle of Man at 11 on a world list of highest median age of population at 44.2 years old.

This reflects Bill Shimmins MHK statement: ’It is imperative we grow the number of economically active people that are here.

’So we can rebalance our population if you like and ensure that we have sufficient economically active people to support those that are not.’

Mr Ashford revealed social care costs the island £18m a year and is expected to rise to at least £25m by 2036.

To achieve this, he says the island needs to find the right model to fund both health and social care which he said ’requires the government to have a real conversation with the public’.

He added: ’Obviously people staying in their own homes longer is a key part of this, both in terms of their happiness and the cost to themselves, their families and the tax payers.’

To achieve this, Mr Ashford wants to see the whole system to be open to review, such as the role of district nursing and GPs to be examined, to see where efficiencies can be made within the service.

He is keen to stress however, that efficiencies and savings or cuts are not the same thing, it is about delivering the same services for less, not less services for less.

Both Mr Thomas and Mr Ashford have stressed the importance of the new review into health and social care which will include focus groups to engage with the public.

However, Mr Ashford said: ’This review is different to all previous reviews, this isn’t just a how can we pay for the service, this is a truly holistic review of the whole structure.

’As minister, I must demonstrate that every penny is spent in the best way possible, but being frank at the moment, I honestly can’t.’

Mr Thomas added: ’I should stress that we want people from ALL generations in our focus groups.’

To join a focus group email [email protected], phone 685831 or by post from Monday, February 12: Adult Social Care, Third Floor, Murray House, Mount Havelock, Douglas, IM1 2SF.