Pressure has begun to ease after a turbulent week at Noble’s Hospital which saw it placed on the highest alert level.

The hospital experienced an unusually high number of admissions over recent days.

Such was the demand on services that Manx Care was forced to temporarily postpone adult elective surgery to help ease pressure on the system.

At a Manx Care board meeting on Wednesday, it was revealed that there had been 48 admissions in the previous 72 hours, compared with a normal average of around 20. At that stage, 16 people remained in hospital beds awaiting social care support while more than 100 people had attended the Emergency Department.

However, by Thursday morning, Manx Care said the situation was improving.

In an update, it said: ‘Pressure on the Emergency Department (ED) at Noble’s Hospital has been successfully reduced.

‘Thanks to the incredible efforts of our medical and clinical colleagues, we are continuing to see improvements across our services.’

Manx Care said it is now looking at reintroducing elective surgery, although it warned the hospital remains extremely busy.

The statement added: ‘Teams are now reviewing plans for elective care to help ensure patients can be seen as quickly and safely as possible.

‘Services can still be busy, and waiting times may be longer than usual at times. If you need urgent or emergency care, please continue to attend ED - you will be treated.

‘Where appropriate, please consider whether another service may be able to help you more quickly. Thank you for your continued patience and support.’

Despite the postponement of elective surgery, Manx Care stressed that all urgent and essential care had continued, including cancer-related procedures and all surgery involving children.

In an earlier statement, Manx Care explained why the hospital had reached the highest alert level under the Operational Pressures Escalation Level (OPEL) framework.

It said: ‘This short-term measure [postponing elective surgery] allows clinical teams to prioritise patients who need the most urgent care and to maintain safe services across the hospital during a period of sustained pressure.

‘The Operational Pressures Escalation Level (OPEL) framework is a nationally recognised NHS tool used daily to describe the level of demand on hospitals and to support safe management of patient flow.

‘It consists of a number of escalation levels, with OPEL 4 indicating that pressure across the whole system is very high, requiring additional actions and coordination to maintain safe care.’

Manx Care also stressed that OPEL 4 does not mean care is being denied, but that certain treatments are being prioritised.

It said: ‘Importantly, being at OPEL 4 does not mean that care is not being delivered.

‘It means that services are under significant strain and that teams are working together across health and social care to prioritise patients, manage demand, and ensure those who need urgent and emergency treatment continue to receive it.

‘We understand that any change to planned treatment can be concerning. Affected patients are being contacted directly and will be rescheduled as soon as possible.

‘Manx Care would like to thank the public for their continued patience and support while teams work to ensure safe, high-quality care for all patients.’

She has led the arms-length healthcare provider since it was established five years ago.

Ms Cope joined the public service in December 2020 ahead of the formation of Manx Care in April 2021, leading the integrated health and care body from the outset.

However, concerns have continued to grow over healthcare spending, with an additional £45m required this financial year to reduce waiting times and improve care for older adults.

Earlier this year, Treasury Minister Chris Thomas warned healthcare overspending remained a ‘massive risk’ to the Isle of Man Government’s finances.

Announcing her departure, Ms Cope said: ‘After five years in post, I have been reflecting on what the next chapter looks like, and with the governance review underway, it feels like now is the right time to look to pass the baton on to someone else to continue the next stage of that journey.

‘I would like to take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues over these last five years for their support in helping push forward the quality of care on the island.’

A governance review into Manx Care is currently underway and Health Minister Claire Christian said that once the review is complete, attention will turn to appointing Ms Cope’s successor.