HEALTH Minister David Anderson has hit out at “misleading headlines and statements” criticising the government’s physiotherapy services.
“I am disappointed to see headlines and statements being made which are misleading and cause unnecessary worry to ill and vulnerable patients,” he said.
“As the Department has stated on many occasions, the Isle of Man Government has finite resources and, whilst Health Services have been protected as far as possible from the effects of essential spending reductions, the Health Service therefore also has finite resources and has to manage these to ensure the best treatment for patients is available, based on professional clinical prioritisation of clinical need.
“From time to time, the Department seeks to address particular problem areas by using some limited and non-recurring funds for fixed-term waiting list initiatives. These waiting list initiatives enable the treatment of a number of patients who are facing long waiting times for specific certain conditions or problems.
”It is well known and accepted that a waiting list initiative can only ever be a temporary solution and does not solve the long term problem of services where patient demand for treatment outweighs the resources available.
“In the context of the recent criticism of Physiotherapy Services, it should be clearly understood that the original waiting list initiative to reduce the waiting list for musculoskeletal outpatients could only ever be a temporary solution to a longstanding problem. The staff were employed in a temporary capacity, for a fixed term period, to undertake these waiting list initiatives. It was never intended that these posts would be permanent.
“We have neither the money nor the personnel count from Treasury to enable us to make these additional three posts permanent. The individuals were made fully aware of the situation, the terms of their employment and the end date of the Initiative. I would like to make it clear that the number of permanent Physiotherapists we employ is not being reduced.”
Mr Anderson said the staff were also aware of the Department’s slightly longer term intention to try to develop rotational posts within the physiotherapy department. These posts are different to those used for the waiting list initiative as they are within different speciality areas, and allow new graduates to gain valuable experience in core service areas.
“Further employment then allows them to gain more varied and greater experience than is available on the Isle of Man, which benefits the IOM Physiotherapy Department and our patients in the future.
“Physiotherapy graduates, armed with University qualifications, have very rarely had opportunities for employment on the IOM at such an early stage in their careers, because of the need for us to fill our permanent posts with experienced physiotherapists with enhanced skills and training. It has also become increasingly difficult for newly-qualified physiotherapists to secure posts in the UK.
“Therefore, when we had funding available for this we were delighted to offer 3 individuals an opportunity to gain valuable experience and skills, enabling them to have a greater opportunity in the wider health employment market. These posts can, however, only be temporary as we neither the resources nor the headcount to make the posts permanent.
“Whilst access to some physiotherapy services is currently reduced, it is important to remember that whilst physiotherapy treatment may be only one part of a patient’s management, patients whose condition warrants intervention and treatment continue to be able to receive this care.”
Mr Anderson added, “As I have stated previously, if patients are concerned about any aspect of their healthcare, then they should seek the advice of their General Practitioner.”
