Access to medical services for visitors to the Isle of Man
We hope you’re looking forward to your visit to the Isle of Man!
Whilst we hope you don’t need to make use of Manx Care’s services whilst you’re on the Island, we wanted to make sure you were aware of the services we provide, should you need them.
Where you can access Medical Services on the Isle of Man
Manx Care is the Island’s provider of health and statutory social care services – similar to an NHS Trust in the UK. We’ve created a handy signposting guide which points you to the most appropriate medical service to meet your needs, available in a number of different languages.
Medical Services for UK Residents
The Isle of Man has a reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK which means that medical treatment which is needed by a resident of England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Island whilst visiting the Island is provided by the IOM NHS on the same basis as services provided to local residents. If you are a UK resident and you require NHS services whilst visiting the Island, the clinician you see will decide if treatment can reasonably wait until you return home after your visit, or if you need the treatment whilst here. If the latter, then the treatment will be provided free of charge except for any charges which would be payable by an Island resident (e.g. prescription charges). UK residents may also register as a temporary resident with an IOM GP if their visit to the Island is more than 24 hours and less than six months.
Please note that the reciprocal healthcare agreement does not cover all eventualities and so we advise visitors to obtain their own appropriate level of insurance in addition to this. For example, the agreement is restricted to visits of less than six months’ duration and it does not, in all circumstances, include medical repatriation back to the UK, which can be very costly if needed.
Medical Services for visitors from outside the UK
In line with the provisions of the NHS (Overseas Visitors) Regulations 2011, visitors from other jurisdictions are generally only entitled to treatment in an Accident and Emergency or Minor Injuries Unit free of charge. All other services, including admission into hospital following treatment in the Accident and Emergency department, medicines and diagnostic tests must be paid for. This, together with the potential cost of medical repatriation to a jurisdiction beyond the UK, means it is imperative that you have comprehensive travel insurance which covers these eventualities, or the means to pay significant medical bills should you require medical attention whilst on the Island. If admitted to hospital, any overseas visitors will be expected to provide insurance details or pay for any medical bills prior to discharge.
Other useful information
Accident and emergency treatment, including treatment at the Emergency Department at Noble’s, treatment via MEDS, and treatment at the Minor Injuries Units at Ramsey, is available to all and is free of charge. The Emergency Department at Noble’s is open 24 hours a day to deal with serious injury, illness or trauma.
MEDS, the Manx Emergency Doctor Service located next to the Emergency Department at Noble’s, is an out of hours emergency service that operates Monday to Friday from 6pm to 8am, and 24-hours a day at weekends and on Bank Holidays when doctors’ surgeries are closed. The telephone number is +44 1624 650355.
There is also a Minor Injuries Unit at Ramsey Cottage Hospital in the North of the Island, which is open from 8am to 8pm seven days a week, and treats a wide range of illnesses and injuries.
Please make sure you bring with you all of your prescription medication and any other important medical information you may need during your stay on the Island.
Thanks, and enjoy your visit to the Isle of Man!
