The number of patients needing to travel off-island to be treated for macular disease has been reduced.

The first Isle of Man clinics began in 2015. Health Minister Kate Beecroft said this week that Noble’s Hospital now treated 114 patients with age-related macular disease, which affects the retina and can cause sight loss. That means about 66 patients still travel to Aintree in Liverpool.

Some of those would rather continue with their treatment at Aintree, Mrs Beecroft said.

’The locum-based service is providing all the care for two-thirds of these patients, with one-third still travelling,’ she told the House of Keys.

’There is also a smaller cohort of patients travelling to the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital because the on-island ARMD service has reached full capacity.’

Mrs Beecroft said patients who found travel difficult were prioritised for on-island treatment.

’My department is developing an island care strategy with the voluntary sector, which will be ready for consultation in early summer with some of the proposals for how we can make changes to local services to provide more care on-island.

’Specifically, the department is making plans to operate weekly ARMD clinics and this will mean that only patients with the most complex comorbidities will need to travel off-island.’

About 120 additional patients travel to Aintree for treatment for other diseases of the retina.

She added: ’The eyecare strategy will put forward proposals for these patients also to be seen on-island.’

Dr Alex Allinson (Ramsey), who raised the issue, welcomed the progress.