A TRAVEL agent which looks after patients travelling off the Isle of Man for treatment in UK hospitals has changed location.

The Patient Transfer Service, which is part of the Department of Health, has moved from Crookall House in Douglas to The Lodge on Strang Road in Union Mills.

Just over 11,000 patients and carers used the Patient Transfer Service, which organises all travel arrangements and expense claims, last year.

David Killip, the chief executive of the Department of Health, said: "Staff are expert with travel arrangements but are also aware that people travelling off the Island for treatment in the UK, and of course family members, can often be very concerned and very worried.

"Sometimes the treatment patients are receiving is very significant and sometimes of course, it is a fact of life unfortunately, that the patients have life threatening illnesses so it can be a time when people are very vulnerable and very concerned.

"We've got to do the best we can to make things happen as smoothly as possible. The relationship with patient transfers and the patients is absolutely first class.

"I get told frequently how gratified the patients are with the simple and professional treatment they get from the patient transfer staff."

The Patient Transfer Service has been based in Crookall House for the last 14 years but according to the chief executive conditions in the building were not ideal.

David explained: "There are a number of drawbacks – there are very limited facilities for patients to have private conversations with staff and often the subject matter is intensively private and personal.

"The facilities for parking are not brilliant, it's not particularly close to a bus route, there is very limited access for disabled people and the facilities for the staff are not brilliant either.

"What we have now offers a very significant improvement over what we had before. There is ample parking for patients and the facilities themselves are much better. There is a private interview consultation room, there is disabled parking near the door and there is a bus stop more or less outside.

"Although the foremost reason for doing this is to improve facilities for patients I'm delighted that the facilities here offer an improved environment for staff to work in as well."

The Department of Health had a budget of £16,000 to accommodate the move into The Lodge which is a government owned building. The move is due to come in on budget.

David continued: "It has not cost very much because it was occupied previously by Department of Social Care mental health staff so all that we have done is redecorate and install new signage. We are bringing in existing furniture so the costs are pretty modest.

"Certainly when one looks at the advantages over the current accommodation at Crookall House I would argue the costs are very good value for money.

"In the broader scheme of thinks it is all part of government's drive to minimise rented accommodation and use government owned facilities to best use – so we are happy to be able to do that."

The Patient Transfer Service moved into The Lodge yesterday (Monday). All contact details remain the same.

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