Health minister Kate Beecroft has revealed more details about the controversial moving of endoscopy services from Ramsey to Douglas.

We previously reported how, at a requisition meeting last month the minister said that the move would reduce waiting times from 33 weeks to 6 weeks in a year.

She estimated that in a year, 300 procedure slots on average were lost, because doctors were in a car instead of a hospital.

This, coupled with a review of how the endoscopy department works, Ms Beecroft said would bring about the 27-week reduction in the 1,650 current waiting list.

Ramsey commissioners chairman Andy Cowie said that the minister had offered to provide more information for circulation after the meeting.

Now, in a letter to Mr Cowie, the minister has set out how, by consolidating the endoscopy service at Noble’s Hospital and redistributing clinicians, it will be possible to provide an additional six endoscopy clinics a week - an increase of 21 hours over the previous weekly work pattern split between Noble’s Hospital and Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital.

In addition two hours a week spent by doctors - already on duty - travelling between Noble’s and Ramsey will be recouped, meaning even more patients can be seen.

Ms Beecroft’s letter said: ’I stressed at the meeting that our current waiting times represent a risk to the safety of patients and I wish to make that point again today.’

’Given the wider duties of the clinical teams it is no longer viable for the endoscopy service to be split across two sites.’

Nursing staff will still be based in Ramsey and their oral surgery and dermatology surgery duties in Ramsey will not change.

Read the full letter at www.ramsey.gov.im or at the Ramsey Town Hall library.

The issue is set to be discussed in today’s House of Keys after questions were tabled by Ramsey MHK Dr Alex Allinson and Ayre and Michael MHK Tim Baker (see page 9 of today’s Examiner).