The new management structure planned as part of a reform of the island’s health system will create 13 new roles and cost an extra £3.5m.

Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford was quizzed by Liberal Vannin leader Lawrie Hooper on the proposed management structure of Manx Care and DHSC and what it will cost in this week’s Keys.

From April 1, Manx Care will be responsible for the operational delivery of health and social care services for Manx residents and run at arms length from the DHSC.

Mr Ashford said the high-level structures of DHSC and Manx Care are ’under ongoing refinement and review by the relevant organisations as each move towards and then into fulfilling their new functions in order to suitably shape the future structure of the organisation’.

He added: ’Costs for these new management structures are estimated at total annual cost for the DHSC and Manx Care additional staff including the limited term pool of additional resource is estimated £3,536,123.

’This estimate is under ongoing refinement and review by the department and Manx Care as each move towards and then into fulfilling their new functions in order to suitably shape the future structure of the organisation.’

Mr Ashford’s response includes several diagrams which show how Manx Care and DHSC will work together to provide services in the island.

They show the new structure having 13 roles without incumbent (ie new roles) and just six that are already in place.

The new Manx Care board, chaired by Andrew Foster, will assume responsibility for ’operational and transformational delivery’, finance and performance, as well as clinical and care governance.

A partnership board linking DHSC and Manx Care will take over strategic planning, cross-government coordination and assurances roles.

The final role of the DHSC revised board is still being developed. However its work will include establishing overall policy for Manx Care and the strategic direction of care services in the island.

An annual report on the island’s healthcare system will also be created as a joint venture between Manx Care and DHSC and will be presented to Tynwald.

Sir Jonathan Michael, who proposed the setting up an arm's length Manx Care body as part of his independent review of the DHSC, insisted that it would not simply lead to another layer of costly bureaucracy.

He told reporters back in May last year: 'I see no reason why it should.

'I would hope in fact that bringing in skill sets from outside government, from outside the healthcare system, onto the board would actually encourage greater efficiency and reduce bureaucracy rather than increase it.’