Tynwald backs £19m health overspend despite criticism

Tynwald has approved a £19m overspend in healthcare services on the Isle of Man.

Health Minister Claire Christian said the additional funding from over the past year was needed to meet "rising demand" and maintain safe services.

More than £12m of the overspend was due to agency and locum frontline staffing needs. Politicians also approved £1.8m in capital spending towards an endoscopy modernisation unit.

Christian attributed £14.9m of the overspend to Manx Care exceeding its allocated budget, with the remaining £4.1m driven by the operational pressures of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Several members of Tynwald criticised the recurring need for extra funding and questioned Manx Care's financial management.

House Speaker Juan Watterson said it was a "broken system".

Several members questioned why health budgets continued to fall short of actual spending requirements.

Tim Glover MHK said the issue was not whether the funding was needed but why budgets were being set below "known reality", arguing agency staffing costs had become a structural part of the healthcare system, rather than a temporary pressure.

Julie Edge, MHK, renewed calls for a "forensic audit" of Manx Care, and questioned whether the budget was at all realistic.

Others defended the healthcare provider, pointing out that bosses had warned of the overspend at the start of the financial year.

Lawrie Hooper MHK argued several costs had not been included in its allocated budget, and said members had effectively chosen to continue providing services without fully funding them.

Hooper said the debate highlighted a disconnect between the level of healthcare services expected and the funding provided.

Responding to the concerns, Christian acknowledged there should have been earlier discussions about whether some services should be delayed or reduced if funding was unavailable.

She also said work was under way to strengthen financial controls and reduce reliance on "temporary staffing".

She said financial oversight had improved and that stronger controls, workforce planning and service transformation programmes were aimed at creating a more sustainable healthcare system.

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