Manx Care is underfunded not 'failing', says CEO

Healthcare body forecasts £8m overspend despite interventions

The chief executive of Manx Care says the organisation is one facing a number of challenges, but denies it is failing.

A number of cuts to frontline services were announced this week in an attempt to balance its books.

If successful, the board says the measures will bring its overspend down to £8 million this financial year.

The healthcare provider was tasked with finding £19million of savings - but says £12million has proved more realistic.

It says it has incurred additional costs of £9 million due to the body's 'monthly spend rate' - fed by factors such as the cost of off-Island care, the impact of high-cost care packages for individuals, and the increase in drug costs.

However, some of the schemes cut this week are patient-facing - from greater scrutiny of elective procedures undertaken across in the UK, to the further closure of the Minor Injury Unit in Ramsey at weekends.

Chief Executive Teresa Cope has stressed they were decisions the board didn't want to take - but that they have to make moves to balance the books.

Siobhán Fletcher asked her if measures such as sorting long-standing administrative issues like delayed appointment letters could've been a better place to start: