There have been NO cutbacks to the patient escort service offered by the DHSS, according to the department's director of strategy and performance.

There were concerns expressed in a recent Tynwald debate that the service, which allows for an escort to accompany a patient for off-Island medical treatment, was being curtailed after changes to criteria.

East Douglas MHK Brenda Cannell said a total of nine categories eligible for escort were being reduced to just four and the changes had been made by the Minister for Health.

However, Norman McGreggor-Edwards says the system has merely been simplified after consultation with clinicians (audio file attached):