Manx Care is hoping to see the private care ward in Noble’s Hospital operational again during the next financial year (which starts from April).

The healthcare body said that procurement work for this would begin ’shortly’.

Private patient care has been interrupted in the island for three years now.

Services were originally suspended at the start of 2019 to allow for the refurbishment of the unit.

Health chiefs had been ready to tender for an external provider in the new private unit, when it was requisitioned at the start of the pandemic and then used to care for Covid-positive patients.

A statement from Manx Care said: ’The Private Patients’ Ward at Noble’s Hospital was refurbished to infection, prevention and control standards in 2020 when it was utilised as additional capacity for Covid-19 pressures during the first wave of infections on island.

’The ward is available to support additional activity in Noble’s Hospital should it be needed. Appropriately staffing this facility is incredibly difficult given the global shortage of healthcare professionals - it’s estimated that in the UK NHS alone there is a shortage of around 10,000 doctors and 40,000 nurses.’

It added that currently, ’some private outpatient consultations continue to be delivered alongside private diagnostic work’.