Due to the current level of community spread of Covid-19 within the Isle of Man, and subsequent limits on available staff due to Covid-19 absence, Manx Care is making some changes to its appointments and visiting policy at its hospitals and care settings.
Tomorrow (31 December 2021) all outpatient appointments will be cancelled except for those which are clinically urgent.
From Tuesday 4 January, all appointments, where clinically appropriate, will be converted to telephone appointments wherever possible. This will be for an initial period of two weeks.
If you have not been contacted by Manx Care, please attend your appointment as normal. All those affected by the changes will be contacted by a member of the Manx Care team.
Although we have been able to facilitate visiting across our hospitals and care settings for several months, the significant increase in levels of Covid-19 in the community, and subsequent impact on our staffing levels across Manx Care, mean we have made the difficult decision to suspend visiting across our hospitals and some social care settings for an initial period of two weeks (with the exception of Learning Disability residential settings).
Please note that where permitted, and in exceptional circumstances only e.g. when the patient is receiving end of life care, following assessment and agreement from the clinical team, essential visitors may be permitted. More information on what constitutes an ‘essential visitor’, and precautions that must be taken if visiting, will be available on the Manx Care website from tomorrow morning.
Residential Care Homes for older people will also be impacted by this change, closing to non-essential visitors for an initial period of fourteen days from 8am on Friday 31 December.
The homes affected are operated by Adult Social Care, and include:
- Reayrt Ny Baie – Douglas
- Southlands – Port St Mary
- Cummal Mooar – Ramsey
- Langness/Gansey – Port St Mary
- Thie Meanagh/Sweetbriar – Douglas
- Reayrt Skyal – Ramsey
As part of the Manx Care Residential Homes Visitors Policy, we will adopt the Essential Care Giver protocol on a case by case basis.
All Day Service provision for older people will remain open; however, some operational adjustments may be necessary. Visiting to Learning Disabilities community houses and the operation of Learning Disabilities Day Services will remain unaffected.
Whilst we recognise that friends and family members are a vital support to all of those receiving inpatient and residential services by Manx Care, the utmost care and consideration must be given to the safety of other patients and staff by maintaining infection prevention and control procedures at all times.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation over recent months as we have worked to protect the people in our care from potential exposure to Covid–19.
Manx Care CEO, Teresa Cope, said:
‘We understand that these changes may be difficult for those affected. However, this is a temporary measure which we have put in place to protect our community, and we will be regularly reviewing the situation.'
