The Minister for Health, David Anderson MHK, has announced the way in which he intends for the Department of Health to respond to the ‘Francis Report’, commissioned by the UK Secretary of State for Health, in the wake of failures of care at the mid-Staffordshire acute hospital trust.  The Francis Report, an enormously comprehensive document, was published earlier this year and contained many wide-ranging recommendations relating to NHS healthcare.
 
Minister Anderson said: “The Francis Report commissioned by the United Kingdom Department of Health into failures of care at the Mid-Staffs NHS Acute Trust is one of the most significant documents of modern times relating to the delivery of NHS care.  It is essential for the sentiments, conclusions and recommendations of Francis to be thoroughly considered in the local context.  To that end I have directed that a working group be established to fulfil these Terms of Reference:
 
1.    To identify those recommendations of Francis which apply to the Isle of Man Health Service, both directly and indirectly.  Attention must be paid to those recommendations which do not apply directly but have principles or practice which it would be remiss not to address;
2.    To undertake an appraisal of where Isle of Man health services are in relation to those recommendations arising from 1 and to report accordingly to the Minister;
3.    To identify areas which require further work, prioritise those areas, establish subgroups to work on the areas so identified and to report accordingly to the Minister;
4.    To co-ordinate the work of the subgroups and report progress on a quarterly basis to the Minister.
 
I'm delighted that Mr Mike Coleman MLC, has agreed to serve as the independent chair of the working group.  I'm equally pleased that two further key members of the working group have been drawn from outside of the Department.  These are Mrs Margaret Simpson, the Chief Executive of Hospice Isle of Man and Mr Derek Legg, the Chair of the Health Services Consultative Committee.  I have also written to the Isle of Man Medical Society inviting them to nominate a GP member of the working group and a representative from the area of acute (hospital) medicine.  I have issued a similar invitation to the Isle of Man branch of the Royal College of Nursing to nominate a nursing representative.  The other members of the working group are Department of Health personnel, including the Chief Executive.
 
Whereas it is very important to call upon the expertise of our colleagues both inside and beyond the Department, it is vital not to lose sight of the fact that the purpose of the Francis Report was to represent the interests of patients and their care.  Naturally, we will be engaging with patient representatives as the work goes on.”