Controversial plans to close the private ward at Noble’s Hospital may be put back by three months to allow for any winter increase in demand for bed spaces.

Health Minister David Ashford was called upon to give an emergency statement on the proposals in Tynwald this week.

Earlier this month, health chiefs announced plans to close the private patients’ unit for 12-18 months, from January 1, so it could undergo a major revamp. It would mean no private beds during that time, although many clinical services would continue to be offered.

In the past, available beds in the unit have been used for NHS patients when there is no capacity elsewhere.

Mr Ashford was asked by Julie Edge (Onchan) to give an assurance the closure would not lead to patients stuck in corridors.

Mr Ashford told Tynwald: ’There is a bed management plan being put in place.

’That may well mean that, due to the winter months, we may keep the private patients unit open until March, which is when the biggest pressure is, between Christmas and March.’

He added: ’In relation to Manx patients being on corridors, I most certainly do not expect that to happen. That is scaremongering in the extreme for anyone to suggest that.’

The plan involves the temporary closure of the private patients’ unit and theatre. The Department of Health and Social Care said the upgrade and redesign would create a ’a modern, attractive and profitable range of private services’.

The DHSC gave a three-month notice period to allow consultation with patients and private health professionals.

Private clinics, radiology and blood tests are not affected.

A leaked email saw one consultant hit out at the decision and blast the ’dictatorial, confrontational and intransigent management structure’.

Mr Ashford, in turn, hit out at the leak of that letter and claimed the consultant, who had not sent it to the media, was unhappy it had been released.

The minister added: ’The hospital management is completely dedicated in its commitment to improve care for the people of the Island, be that public care or private care.

’We do respect our clinicians, who deliver fantastic services day in, day out. Change does have to come, though. Sometimes that change is not for everyone, so at the same time I have respect for those members of staff who decide that it is time to move on.’

Mr Ashford also said it was clear the PPU, as it was, needed improvements.

One comment he had received was that the unit was not really a private ward but ’an NHS ward you pay through the nose for’.

Another patient who had experience of private wards in the UK, wrote to the minister to say the unit at Noble’s was not value for money: ’In fact I would say it was daylight robbery. At least Dick Turpin had the grace to wear a mask.’

There will be no redundancies from the temporary closure.