Health Minister Kate Beecroft has apologised in Tynwald to 157 patients whose follow-up endoscopy procedures were overdue.

She told the court it was these delays that had been the catalyst for the centralisation of endoscopy services at Noble’s.

That move has continued to cause a row. Welfare trustees at Ramsey Cottage Hospital have announced a moratorium on all future funding in protest at the ’unprecedented’ decision, claiming that ’stripping’ the operating theatre of staff and equipment will ’effectively render it redundant’.

Mrs Beecroft accept the transfer of the service from Ramsey had caused upset and frustration - but insisted it had been done with the best of intentions to address an urgent situation.

Referring to the delays in the follow-up appointments, she told Tynwald: ’I wish to offer my sincere apologies on behalf of the department to those affected by this oversight.’

Justifying why it was only now the real reason for the transfer could be given, Mrs Beecroft argued it was ’only right and proper that the number of patients affected by the delays was established and contact made with them, before making any public announcement.’

She told Tynwald her department last week wrote to 157 patients who had been waiting longer than the recommended time for a follow-up gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Immediate action was taken when the extent of the delays was identified. Notes of 321 patients were reviewed, with 157 of those found to be outside the optimal period.

These have been offered prioritised appointments, with all scheduled before the end of August. A dedicated helpline has been established.

Anyone scheduled or expecting a follow-up endoscopy after June is not affected.

The Minister said: ’It will now be apparent the issue with follow-up endoscopies has been a catalyst for the changes to the endoscopy service announced in May.

’To have haphazardly announced the situation whilst the department had yet to establish the full facts would potentially have caused undue worry to every individual currently awaiting a first-time or follow-up endoscopy - over 1,650 people.’

She added: ’I am sure members are as concerned and disappointed as I am that this situation has arisen. Although the underlying reasons for this situation are not yet fully understood, the high number of people waiting for an endoscopy and limits in clinical capacity are contributing factors.’

The current average waiting time for a routine appointment of 33 weeks was ’wholly unacceptable’, she said, but the changes made would allow the bulk of the waiting list to be cleared within 12 months.