Doctors

Each GP surgery/health centre on the Isle of Man has at least 2 practice nurses in their Primary Care Team. These are experienced nurses performing a full range of procedures and healthcare, from chronic disease management to childhood immunisation programmes.

They are employed directly by the GPs but enjoy the benefits of working for the NHS. Some practice nurses have specialities such as Midwifery, respiratory medicine and some are nurse prescribers. They have representation on many nursing forums and access the excellent educational opportunities that are widely available on the Island.

This is necessary as a good general basis of learning is required to keep up to date with current practices, management and medicines. They have a good relationship with the rest of the Primary Care team and community nursing and have good communicative links with Noble's hospital.

Making a complaint about a GP

If patients are unhappy with the care they have received from their GP surgery, they should raise their concerns with a member of the practice who will try to resolve the matter for them. Alternatively, they can contact the practice's Complaints Manager either face-to-face, via letter, email or telephone.

If patients remain unsatisfied with the outcome of a complaint after it has been investigated by the surgery, they can ask for it to be independently reviewed by the Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body (HSCOB) who can be contacted as follows:

Health and Social Care Ombudsman Body
PO Box 18
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM99 1UT

Email: HSCOB@gov.im

General Practice action plans, generated in response to HSCOB recommendations, can be found in the Downloadable Documents section of this page.

GP Practice Patient Removal

A patient can be removed from a GP list by a practice via communication with the GP Registration Team at Primary Care Services if they are no longer residing in the practice area, have moved abroad, are in prison, have died, or are registered elsewhere.

An immediate removal without notice is possible in cases of violence, aggression or threatening behaviour and if police involvement has occurred. Practices can also request removals for other reasons, such as a breakdown in the doctor-patient relationship (or other clinical relationships) and will need to follow specific procedures outlined by the GP Practice Contract held with Manx Care.

Common Reasons for Removal:

• Patient request: The patient can request to be removed from the list
   
• No longer living in the area: The patient has moved out of the practice's catchment area
  
  
• Living abroad: The patient has been absent from the Isle of Man for at least three months, or plans to be
  
  
• Registered elsewhere: The patient has registered with another GP practice
  
  
• Death: The patient has passed away
  
  
• Prison: The patient is in prison
  
  
• Armed forces: The patient has joined the armed forces on a full-time basis, with medical care provided by the Defence Medical Services (DMS)
  
  
• Breakdown of relationship: There has been an irretrievable breakdown in the relationship between the practice and patient, such as through violence or abuse

Immediate Removal for Violence or Abuse:

• If a patient has been violent, abusive or threatening, and the police have been involved, the practice can request an immediate removal
  
  
• The practice should follow the guidance in their own Codes of Conduct

How the Removal Process Works:

• The practice must submit a request to the GP Registration Team at Primary Care Services to initiate the patient removal process
  
  
• In cases of a breakdown in the relationship, the practice can request an 8-day removal, but this can be immediate if the patient has been violent
  
  
• The GP Registration Team at Primary Care Services will review the request to confirm if the grounds for removal are met and will process the removal accordingly, ensuring the patient is kept informed

Friends and Family Survey

Every time you visit your GP practice you are invited to take part in a short online survey. This is an anonymous survey and you are free to leave your comments about the practice in the space provided. The survey results are checked regularly and will be discussed with the GP Practice accordingly.

Current GP Vacancies

Details of current partnership vacancies, and for salaried GPs, can be found on the GP Vacancies page.