'Almost all' of medical director's Covid information given to CoMin

FoI response highlights how clinical advice was provided to ministers

‘Almost all’ of the original information in a Coronavirus presentation from the Isle of Man’s former medical director was presented to the Council of Ministers.

But the Department of Home Affairs has admitted its chief executive used a ‘poor choice of words’ in an email about how it would be presented.

Today the Department of Home Affairs published its delayed response to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Isle of Man TV journalist Paul Moulton.

He’s been seeking to establish ‘how medical and clinical advice from Dr Rosalind Ranson and others was handled’ by then-Health Minister David Ashford and senior civil servants.

Mr Moulton, who was issued with a legal letter in relation to comments made about his investigation, also asked for confirmation of whether selective or ‘toned down’ versions of her information had been presented between 13 and 24 March 2020.

In response the DHA has provided a response, a timeline of correspondence between civil servants and emails sent between the relevant parties.

The Department of Home Affairs full response can be found by searching Case ID: '3103985' HERE.

Pandemic

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation had declared the Covid-19 virus should be characterised as a pandemic.

Two days later, Dr Ranson delivered an internal presentation to the Coronavirus Working Group detailing the likely impact on the Manx health service.

She highlighted that without rapid intervention it would be overwhelmed.

Emails released today (1 August) show the then chief executive of the DHA, now chief officer, Dan Davies obtaining the presentation to share with his colleagues in order to brief the Council of Ministers.

The DHA says the officers worked on their own presentation which they delivered on the 16 March – the department adding that it had to be presented in a ‘compelling way’ for ministers to understand.

“The group was clear that the clinical view that immediate and unprecedented restrictions were required, must be presented in a compelling way to ministers.” – Department of Home Affairs

Emails

Emails between a number of civil servants working on their presentation for CoMin have been shared.

In one Mr Davies says he has provided a ‘slide deck’ which could be used - he highlights how he has taken some of Dr Ranson’s slides ‘to help illustrate the point, but hopefully toned down’.

Mr Davies adds that the presentation needs to be kept ‘at a high level’ so that ministers ‘don’t get into the weeds’ whilst considering why the Isle of Man wanted to deviate from Public Health England advice.

Speculation

The department adds that it is aware there has been some speculation about the use of the words ‘toned down’ in the email sent by Mr Davies.

It says on reviewing the email in the context of others which were sent it appears to have been a ‘poor choice of words’.

The DHA says almost all the original information in Dr Ranson’s presentation – in terms of the potential impact faced and the mitigations which should be considered – was included in the final presentation to CoMin.

Some information, it says, was not included ‘simply to give a clear focus to the policy decisions sought by officers from the Council of Ministers at the end of that meeting.’

Clinical Information

The Department of Home Affairs says the Council of Ministers’ decision on the day of the meeting was ‘wholly informed’ by the clinical information and advice provided through the presentation and clinical views expressed through the DHSC chief executive and minister.

This led to the decision to introduce emergency powers and a range of ‘unprecedented constraints’ on the public which were not envisaged by CoMin two weeks prior to the presentation.

Covid Review

The Department of Home Affairs says the information released today has already been provided to an independent Isle of Man Covid Review which is considering government’s handling of the pandemic.

It adds it’s committed to ‘full and transparent engagement’ with that review.

In May 2022, a tribunal found Dr Rosalind Ranson had been unfairly dismissed from her role for whistleblowing - a year later the tribunal ruled she should be paid more than £3 million in compensation.

The Freedom of Information response to a request, of a similar nature, submitted to the Cabinet Office has also been published today. It can be found by searching Case ID: '3103585' HERE.

The Freedom of Information response to a request, of a similar nature, submitted to the Department of Health and Social care has also been published. It can be found by searching Case ID: 3104185 HERE.