The island’s Health Minister Claire Christian has highlighted ongoing pressures in Noble’s Hospital’s emergency department after witnessing conditions first-hand during a recent visit.

During Tuesday’s House of Keys sitting, the minister said she saw a patient waiting more than 24 hours to be admitted to a ward and, at times, others standing because there was not enough seating available.

She described the conditions as ‘clearly not acceptable’ and pointed to wider challenges around patient flow and capacity within the hospital system.

‘The most frustrating aspect for both patients and staff was the time taken to move patients from the clinical decision area on to wards,’ she said.

Despite the pressures, Ms Christian praised staff for their professionalism and said clinical care remained safe, with patients being triaged on average within 21 minutes of arriving at the department.

‘I saw first-hand the commitment, professionalism and clinical excellence of staff working under extremely challenging conditions,’ she added.

‘While waiting times are clearly impacting patient experiences, I want to be clear that what I saw was high-quality and safe clinical care delivered by dedicated professionals.’

The minister said the visit reinforced the need for both immediate and long-term improvements.

Measures already under way include the creation of a 12-space Clinical Decision Unit and the introduction of a modular facility at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital to increase capacity in the north. The planned return of Martin Ward to Ramsey in mid-May is also expected to help ease pressure on services.

Treasury funding has also been approved to support the next stage of planning for a future redevelopment of the emergency department, although any replacement facility remains a long-term project. A healthcare planning partner is expected to be appointed by the end of June.

Alongside those developments, Ms Christian said preparations for this month’s TT festival were ‘well under way’, with Manx Care expected to publish its operational plan shortly.

‘Manx Care is confident that medical provision during the TT period will continue to be delivered to a safe and high-quality standard,’ she said.

‘Racing will only go ahead when it is safe for the competitors and the island community. Safety is the paramount consideration and is at the centre of both health and social care provision and TT planning.’

During the sitting, other MHKs raised concerns about waiting times, hospital capacity and whether increased TT resources represented a shift from previous practice.

In response, the minister said healthcare planning must reflect modern clinical standards and current demand, adding that decisions are guided by clinical expertise.

She also encouraged residents, particularly new arrivals, to register with a GP where possible, while acknowledging feedback from staff that previous attempts to redirect patients away from the emergency department had sometimes increased demand.

‘We would absolutely invite anybody coming to the island to please register with a GP as soon as possible,’ she said. ‘However, if they do need to go to ED, please do go to ED.’