Alex Allinson believes more patients could be treated locally or via telemedicine
The treasury minister is calling for more patients to be treated on Island or through telemedicine instead of being sent to the UK.
Alex Allinson says some people are sent across for follow up appointments which could be dealt with here, resulting in further expense for Manx Care.
Work is ongoing to ensure the Island's healthcare provider comes in on budget this year.
Minister Allinson believes only those who can't be seen on Island should have to go across:
When approached for comment on this matter, Manx Care referred Manx Radio to a social media update from the healthcare body on 3 March this year
It reads as follows:
"Tertiary (off-Island) care pathways are in place to serve patients with specific conditions, aiming for better outcomes and efficiency. However, this has led to higher costs in tertiary care, which are growing rapidly. We’re reviewing our approach to manage these costs effectively.
"This will not directly affect your current care plans, however as we progress, your care maybe repatriated to the Island (but only if clinically appropriate).
"Sometimes your care may not require a visit to an off-Island provider, but you will be provided with information to assist you in maintaining your health. You may be required to attend a diagnostic service on-Island for a repeat examination, and your off-Island clinician will link with you and your GP or Consultant on-Island to plan the next steps of your care.
"This is a scheme that is known in the UK as “Patient Initiated Follow up”. If you are scheduled in this way, you will continue to have direct access to your off-Island Consultant and their team, and you can access this if your symptoms change.
"Our review will focus on:
1. Contractual arrangements with UK providers to ensure off-Island patients are getting the care they need.
2. Clinicians reviewing patient lists to explore repatriation possibilities.
3. Establishing a central off-Island referral transfer team to manage referrals and repatriations."
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