Health boss outlines priorities ahead of election

The Isle of Man's health service must balance "ever-changing standards and options" with clearer communication and stronger public trust as it navigates financial pressures, waiting lists, and service changes, Manx Care's interim chief executive has said.

Chris Stockport has been in the role for two months after the previous chief executive stood down.

Ahead of the island's election on 24 September, improving healthcare and financial efficiencies has been cited as a priority for many candidates.

Stockport said moving forward, there would be a focus on reducing waiting lists and "flow through our hospitals" and length of stays. The Department of Health and Social Care was asked for comment.

Manx Care was established as an arms-length body to the Department of Health and Social Care in 2021, following an independent review into health services on the island.

Manx Care has had significant challenges meeting budget targets since it was set up, and has posted a deficit each year since then.

The island is served by two hospitals, Noble's Hospital and Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital.

The Ramsey facility, significantly smaller than Noble's, had several services, including the minor injuries unit and dialysis services, cut at the end of 2025 due to a pest control issue, which exposed urgent building repairs.

These services have now returned, with all services due to be back within the next two months.

This put added pressure on the island's main hospital, Noble's, with the only accident and emergency department.

In May, Manx Care cancelled 19 operations and declared the highest level of alert, due to the high demand for services, and bed availability.

Stockport said the operator was now moving "forward at greater pace" after a period of leadership change, with both the previous chief executive and chair of Manx Care stepping down in succession earlier this year.

The interim chief executive said: "It's clear that there is a lot of work that we can do on our waiting lists.

"Flow through our hospitals and how long you stay in hospital when you might not necessarily need to be… is something that every healthcare system is looking at."

On finances, he acknowledged Manx Care's overspending but said the focus was on "additional efficiencies".

He said: "I don't ever want ManxCare to underspend because that means we haven't delivered everything that we can deliver.

"Even a tiny efficiency change allows us to speed up some of the services that we can deliver," he added.

Stockport said the debate over whether Manx Care was overspending or was underfunded was "a hot political debate" he would not enter during the pre‑election period.

But he said it was "important that we live within our means" and the body was "prioritising those people with greatest need".

He highlighted progress in shifting care into the community through the island's four wellbeing hubs, where Manx Care was "delivering things in patients' homes that previously were delivered in hospitals".

In the past, there has been criticism that a heavy reliance on temporary or locum staff was putting costs up.

But Stockport said that reliance was reducing, with "more substantive staff".

"And that's great," he added.

He also acknowledged reputational challenges, and said Manx Care needed to showcase positive patient experiences more.

"I'm responsible for over 3,000 members of staff who are all doing a fantastic job… we do need as an organisation to share more widely some of those stories," he said.

Looking ahead, he said the biggest challenge was managing expectations amid rapid change.

"We have to have those conversations in an open and unthreatening and non‑conspiratorial way," he said, to "draw a line so that we can have proper, trusted conversations".

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