Is £347m enough to provide the Island's health services?
Not knowing exactly what it costs to deliver health services on the Isle of Man is the single biggest risk to the healthcare provider.
That's the assessment of Manx Care's Finance Director Jackie Lawless after the organisation was given a £347m budget for the 2024-25 financial year.
The Sir Jonathan Michael review into the Island's health services, that led to the creation of Manx Care, predicted that providing healthcare on the Island for the next 12 months would cost £390.3m, while figures published by Manx Care ahead of its March board meeting show its projected spend for the next year is currently £366.3m
Mrs Lawless says not being able to definitively answer whether this year's funding will be enough is a challenge:
Manx Care's new chair says the board must demonstrate effective use of its finances over the next year.
In February, Treasury had to ask Tynwald for an additional £30m to cover Manx Care's overspend for the 2023-24 financial year, and following this year's budget the chief minister warned Manx Care must deliver within its budget in the 2024-25 period.
Professor Wendy Reid, who took up her role earlier this month, says it's important to be honest about spending:
Meanwhile, one of Manx Care's board members says the healthcare provider needs to 'stop whinging' about its funding.
Nigel Wood, who chairs Manx Care's Finance, Performance and Commissioning Committee, fears it's currently spending money 'patching up' existing services instead of moving forward.
He says the board needs to be realistic about what it can provide:
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