THE Department of Health announced in April that complicated joint replacement and revision surgery would be carried out at Noble's Hospital.

It followed a donation from the Henry Bloom Noble Healthcare Trust.
 
Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Ross Barker was appointed to carry out the surgery at the hospital – saving around 30 patients a year from travelling to the UK.
 
Mr Barker trained in the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital at Oswestry before completing his specialist training at the Princess Elizabeth Orthopaedic Centre in Exeter.
 
He said: "Our patients will be delighted by this news. This significant donation provides us with the tools to perform gold standard joint replacement surgery here on the Island at Noble's Hospital."
 
The funding came from the estate of Joan Eileen Huntingdon who moved to the Island in 1985. During her lifetime she was interested in health and healthcare and spent her latter years in Heathercliffe Residential Home in Onchan and Anfield Manor in Douglas.
 
Her niece, Jane Rickett, and nephew, David Palme, were in attendance to represent her at a presentation of the equipment to Health Minister David Anderson MHK and Mr Barker.
 
Laurence Keenan, chair of the Henry Bloom Noble Healthcare Trust, said: "The trustees are pleased to support this opportunity which will allow patients to remain at home rather than go off the Island for the operation and initial medical treatment.
 
"This will not only be better for the patient, their family and friends but also will make significant financial savings for the Department of Health - a win all round.
 
"Such funding by the Henry Bloom Noble Healthcare Trust is only possible by the continued generosity of bequeaths and donations such as this from the estate of Mrs Huntingdon.
 
"Once again we have another example of those monies given locally making a real difference to healthcare on the Island. Our gratitude goes to all those who give to our charity."

Health Minister David Anderson MHK said: "Patient safety and comfort is always our first priority and this very positive development means that the Island's patients who require complex revision hip surgery can be assured of the highest standards of care here on the Island.
 
"We are continuously reviewing the services provided to the people of the Isle of Man and ensuring we deploy our resources wisely to meet need on the Island when we can."

This story is part of isleofman.com's Review of the Year 2011.