Manx Care has said the hospital is still under ‘significant pressure’ and people should continue to ‘choose well’ with regard to where they seek healthcare support.

The organisation said yesterday (December 28) that Noble’s Hospital was operating at OPEL 4 status as a result of a high number of unwell patients requiring immediate treatment or admission for further care.

Many of those attending are suffering from flu or other respiratory illnesses.

All of the services operated by Manx Care across the festive period have been ‘busy’, with a significant increase in attendances across most sites compared to 2021.

Manx Care’s chief executive, Teresa Cope, said: ‘Firstly, I’d like to thank all members of the public who have continued to support us by choosing well and attending the healthcare service that is most appropriate to their clinical need over the festive period, but especially so over the last 24 hours as we began operating at OPEL 4 status.

‘This message still remains in place though - please continue to attend the service that is most appropriate to support your needs, as it’s really important we take as much pressure off Noble’s as possible, particularly at the moment.

‘The Minor Injuries and Illnesses Unit (MIU) at Ramsey is able to offer an X-ray service today and tomorrow between 9am and 5pm, and is able to provide support for a broad range of healthcare issues.

‘We’ve seen a large increase in people using the Ramsey site and I’m very grateful to everyone who has done this - thank you.

‘In addition, other services available for members of the public to choose from include the GP network, MEDS (Manx Emergency Doctor Service) which operates overnight daily from 6pm to 8am when your GP is closed, the Community Pharmacy Network which also operates the Minor Ailments Scheme (MAS), the Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS) operated by Specsavers in Douglas, the Community Dental Service, and online resources including Qwell and Kooth for adults and young people who require immediate mental health support with live-chat function to a trained mental health professional.

‘I’d like to reiterate that we are here for anyone in an emergency situation, please call 999 if your require immediate or urgent assistance in the event of a life-threatening situation or attend the emergency department (A&E) at Noble’s if you are able to get there safely.

‘Thank you for continuing to choose well and support us at this challenging time.’

The full range of healthcare options available to Manx residents can be found by visiting www.manxcare.im or www.gov.im/signposting

This includes full opening hours for all services across the forthcoming New Year Bank Holiday weekend.