Health service festive availability highlighted

People have been urged to make themselves aware of the healthcare options available over the festive period should they be needed.

The Isle of Man's health service said key services would be accessible, however the operating hours of some vary.

It follows on from a plea from the public health directorate to remember "good respiratory etiquette" to slow the spread of the winter illnesses and reduce pressures on service.

Public Health consultant Ross Keat said increased time spent indoors could see winter viruses such as flu Covid, RSV and the vomiting bug Norovirus passed on more easily.

People feeling unwell have been asked to phone their GP surgery or an island pharmacy offering advice on winter infections, rather risking the spread of infection attending in person.

Some services, like Ramsey Cottage Hospital's Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) and the accident and emergency department at Noble's Hospital, will remain open as normal, but X-rays will not be available at the northern facility on bank holidays.

Under the changes for the Christmas period, Manx Care has adjusted the operating hours of services such as the Manx Emergency Doctors Service (MEDS) and Patient Transfer.

MEDs will be open 24 hours on the days GP surgeries are closed, including Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, but will otherwise operate between 18:00 GMT and midnight.

People have also been reminded that community pharmacists can also be "a reliable source of advice and support", in addition to being able to provide some treatment through the Minor Ailments Scheme.

The adjusted operating hours during the period have been published online.

The Patient Transfer office will be closed between 25 and 29 December, and again on 1 January, but the air ambulance service co-Ordinator can be contacted over the weekend in the case of an emergency.

Emergency dental care will be provided under the emergency dental rota hours.

The Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service at Noble's Hospital will be manned from 09:30 to 13:30, except for on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day, when it will be closed.

Macmillan's national UK support line will however be open every day between 08:00 and 20:00.

Manx Care's vaccination service will be closed between Wednesday and Friday, as well as on New Year's Day, with normal service due to resume at 09:30 on January 2.

Dr Keat highlighted that the festive period could be "very isolating for some people" and encouraged anyone feeling lonely to "reach out to the people in your support network, co-workers, friends, family".

"There are also charities you can reach out to in terms of crisis," he added.

Manx Care said its Crisis Response Home Treatment Team would be available over the period, and highlighted that the Samaritans phoneline operates 24 hours a day throughout the year.

But the healthcare provider said for medical emergencies or situations that "present an imminent risk of harm" people should call 999 in the first instance.

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