Changes at Ramsey Cottage Hospital will improve ’massively’ services in the north, as well as relieve pressure on Noble’s, Health Minister Kate Beecroft told Tynwald.

Dr Alex Allinson (Ramsey), who is also a GP in the area, questioned Mrs Beecroft on the future of the minor injuries unit at Ramsey Cottage Hospital in the light of the changes planned, including the closure of an acute ward and the ending of a GP-led service, but the introduction of an intermediate care service.

Mrs Beecroft said no changes were planned for the MIU and the opening hours of 8am-8pm would remain.

’The unit is currently staffed by experienced, advanced nurse practitioners and these staffing arrangements will be maintained,’ she said. ’

Additional clinical support to the minor injuries unit will be provided by the middle grade doctor who will be employed as part of the reorganisation referred to.’

Medical support would also be available from ’those Noble’s Hospital-based doctors who are delivering outpatient clinics at Ramsey’, along with telephone advice from the clinical team at the Noble’s emergency department.

’In the event of a difficult or emergency clinical situation, the patient will be transferred by ambulance from the minor injuries unit to the emergency department at Noble’s Hospital, as is the case now.’

Asked by her Liberal Vannin Party colleague Lawrie Hooper (Ramsey), Mrs Beecroft gave an assurance that the department would work with the Ramsey GPs, to ensure that their experience was not lost and the level of medical support would be retained.

Mrs Beecroft pledged: ’We will be working with everybody and, as I say, it will be a consultant-led service in the north.

’We will have a consultant, we will have a speciality doctor and we will have all the very ably trained people that we have now.

’So, it is going to improve the service massively to the north of the island.’

Mrs Beecroft, has previously stated the changes would not affect the GPs’ ability to continue to provide a ’first-rate service’.

The hospital will be a base for a new consultant-led intermediate care service to ’bridge the gap between the care that is provided in hospital and people’s homes’ - to be launched next February.

’The expanded "step-up, step-down" 31-bed in-patient service, for those with moderate care needs, will also serve to reduce the current pressure on acute beds experienced at Noble’s Hospital,’ said Mrs Beecroft.

’The 31 beds at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital represent an increase of 10 beds, compared to the 21 currently available, and is a significant investment.’

They will be available to all island residents and the service is aimed at patients who are unable to look after themselves but not requiring an acute care bed.’

The minister continued: ’The consultant will work closely with colleagues who care for older people in the community, such as residential care staff, GPs and district nurses, meaning that these professionals will have more readily available specialist medical advice when managing those patients with complex, age-related health care needs.’

The changes should lead to faster discharges of patients at Noble’s Hospital, as some patients would be able to move to the unit in Ramsey while their condition improved.

During last week’s sitting Mrs Beecroft confirmed the respite care beds at Martin Ward would be retained and palliative care services at Ramsey Cottage Hospital would continue.

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