Policy
Support Primary Healthcare and Reform Manx Care
Expand frontline GP capacity from our current 33.2 full-time equivalent doctors to reduce patient-todoctor ratios closer to safe standards (Source: Statistics Isle of Man, Isle of Man in Numbers 2024), lower Noble's A&E pressure, and decentralise health budgets directly to clinical leads, within a total health budget now reaching £412 million annually (Source: Isle of Man Budget 2026/27).
The original vision of the Sir Jonathan Michael report was to bring healthcare closer to
home, but pressure on primary care continues to build. The 2024 Isle of Man in Numbers report from Statistics Isle of Man shows we currently have 33.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) GPs on the island (Source: Statistics Isle of Man, Isle of Man in Numbers 2024).
That works out to 2,689 registered patients per FTE GP, down from 44 GPs in 2004 and a peak of 47 in 2011. By comparison, RCGP data shows an average of 2,257 patients per qualified GP in the UK. Furthermore, healthcare spending now reaches £412 million annually, with planned growth to £483 million across the medium-term financial framework (Source: Isle of Man Budget 2026/27).
Rather than constant top-down restructuring, we need operational efficiency and accountability. I will press Manx Care to decentralise health budgets, push budgeted financial accountability
directly to local GP surgeries. Giving frontline medical staff the autonomy to manage their own capacity will make booking appointments easier, catch health issues earlier, and reduce pressure on Noble’s Emergency Department.