Top politicians who have scrutinised Noble’s Hospital have ’grave concerns’.

Two inquiry reports about the hospital have been published by Tynwald’s public accounts committee.

The reports come ahead of Sir Jonathan Michael’s healthcare review report to be debated in the May sitting of Tynwald.

In its report ’Overspending at Noble’s Hospital - One Year On’, the committee found ’insufficient evidence of adequate improvement from a year ago’ and ’scant reason’ for optimism that suitable measures were in place for the Department of Health and Social Care to implement strategic change.

Among its findings the committee called into question the relevancy of the ’Wigan Vision’ for the Isle of Man and expressed its ’grave concerns about value for money in Noble’s and the DHSC’.

The public accounts committee report on ’Overspending at Noble’s Hospital - Staffing’ found ’areas of significant concern’ and Noble’s Hospital to be ’an organisation in fundamental need of reform’.

It referred to a climate of ’poor culture’ compromising morale, performance and value for money, and concluded that its findings and those of Sir Jonathan Michael’s forthcoming review could present ’once-in-a-generation opportunities to lay down a path for progress’ in the island’s health service.

PAC chairman and Speaker of the House of Keys Juan Watterson said: ’These reports illustrate the effectiveness of the committee system in strengthening the scrutiny of government.

’The committee examined in depth an issue which in some way or other touches the lives of us all in the Isle of Man - healthcare provision.

’Regrettably, our findings identified repeated failures of leadership and good governance but, as we state in one of our reports, the DHSC does appear to be "turning a corner", although there is still much more to be done. It is hoped, however, that this robust body of work by the Committee will serve to inform Sir Jonathan Michael’s deliberations on a healthcare system for the Isle of Man that is both fit for purpose and fit for the future.’

The members of the Public Accounts Committee is made up of Mr Watterson,·Tim Crookall MLC, Rob Callister MHK, David Cretney MLC, Jane Poole-Wilson MLC and Chris Robertshaw MHK.

More on this story in Tuesday’s Isle of Man Examiner.