Department of Health and Social Care
178 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 100.0%
The Freedom of Information requests reveal a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) under intense scrutiny regarding workforce stability, procurement transparency, and clinical performance. A dominant narrative is the struggle to manage staffing levels, evidenced by repeated requests on bank staff costs, zero-hours contracts, and the 'MARS' redundancy scheme. The authority has been largely transparent about the *existence* of these issues—disclosing relocation packages for nurses and the financial cost of redundancies—but often cites 'excessive compilation effort' or 'data limitations' when asked for granular breakdowns of costs or specific staff categories. This suggests a reactive administrative culture where data is held in silos, making comprehensive analysis difficult for the public.
Key Cases
Case 355345 — This case reveals a significant ethical transparency regarding vaccine ingredients. The authority confirmed that specific vaccines use historical cell lines from legal abortions in the 1960s but explicitly stated this information is not currently provided to patients on consent forms, raising questions about informed consent practices.
Case 355291 — A rare and specific disclosure regarding the Isle of Man TT, revealing the exact amounts recovered from private insurance for race-related medical treatments and confirming that no competitors required Intensive Therapy Unit admission in 2017, providing concrete data on the health impact of major sporting events.
Case 355301 — This case highlights a potential conflict of interest involving the Minister (Hon K Beecroft) and her company, Manx Home Care. While transfer statistics were released, the authority admitted it did not hold the specific contract files, suggesting a fragmentation of records or a deliberate separation of procurement data from the health department.
Case 355253 — The request regarding the 2006 Everall Report (a major child welfare inquiry) was refused on the grounds that the DHSC does not hold the implementation data, which was assigned to the Chief Secretary's Office. This points to a systemic lack of accountability tracking for long-term child protection reforms.
Case 361157 — This case quantifies the cost of the Mutual Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS), disclosing the total payout and annual savings. It serves as a concrete financial metric for the department's strategy to reduce staffing costs through voluntary redundancies.
Related FOI Stories
Dental Services and UDA Performance — #355317, #355117, #355319, #355331, #420033
Workforce Crisis: Recruitment, Retention, and MARS — #355311, #355143, #355153, #355357, #355281
Procurement, Contracts, and Ministerial Conflicts of Interest — #355217, #355161, #355247, #355301, #358156
Clinical Services: Endoscopy, Waiting Lists, and Procedures — #355115, #355219, #355223, #355263, #355387
Public Health, Vaccination, and Substance Abuse — #356085, #355133, #355145, #355229, #355333
All (178)
Information not held (271) ·
All information sent (178) ·
Some information sent but not all held (97) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (44) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (17) ·
Not upheld (12) ·
Upheld - partial (11) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (4) ·
Not required to fulfill request (4) ·
Upheld - full (3) ·
Repeated request (1) ·
Neither confirm or deny information held (1) ·
Decision Notice - Complaint upheld (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2020-05-14 | number of admission 60 years of under to acute mental health unit | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of patients aged 60 or under admitted to the Grianagh Court acute mental health unit in 2015. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that there were 135 unique patients admitted during that calendar year. | ||
| 2020-05-01 | Mental Health Manannan Court Readmissions | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care for data on Manannan Court readmissions in 2019, specifically asking for the number of individuals with three or more admissions split by age. The authority disclosed that out of 149 total admissions, 11 individuals aged 65 and under had three or more admissions, while no individuals over 65 met this criterion. | ||
| 2020-04-29 | Local Maternity System lead query | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the structure and lead contacts for local maternity services in the Isle of Man. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the names and roles of the Head of Midwifery and several Lead Midwives, noting that the structure is currently under review. | ||
| 2020-03-25 | Diabetes technologies used | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for statistics on diabetes technologies and patient registrations. The authority disclosed the specific number of adults and children using insulin pumps and the total count of Type 1 Diabetes patients registered with the Diabetes Centre and Paediatric Department. | ||
| 2020-02-03 | Fostering | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care for detailed financial data, placement statistics, and policy documents regarding fostering services from 2014 to 2020. The authority responded by sending all requested information, including 81 pages of documents and the full text of the 'Policy and Procedure for the Assessment and Approval of Foster Carers'. | ||
| 2020-01-30 | Numbers of patients & waiting times at General Practitioner (GP) practices. | All information sent |
| The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for data on GP practices by disclosing patient registration numbers, doctor headcounts, and average waiting times for routine appointments. | ||
| 2020-01-20 | Cause of Death Statistics | All information sent |
| The requester asked for annual cause of death statistics for the Isle of Man from 2014 to 2019. The Department of Health and Social Care provided data for 2014 to 2018, noting that 2019 figures were unavailable due to annual coding processes. | ||
| 2020-01-14 | R & I inspection reports | All information sent |
| The requester asked for inspection reports for 26 specific adult care homes on the Isle of Man, citing a discrepancy between the government website's promise of public availability and the actual access method. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by sending all requested information, including a sample unannounced inspection report for 17 Kensington Road. | ||
| 2020-01-09 | Isle of Man Ambulance Service vehicles road traffic collisions | All information sent |
| A request was made for the number of road traffic collisions involving Isle of Man Ambulance Service vehicles over the last five years, broken down by month. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that four such collisions occurred between 2018 and 2019. | ||
| 2019-12-09 | Nobles managers - numbers and wages | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care for the number of managers at Nobles Hospital and their wage statistics. The authority disclosed that there were 139 managers in Hospital Services as of December 2019, along with the highest, lowest, and average full-time wages. | ||
| 2019-12-05 | Cost of external investigators | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the costs of external investigators used for grievance, disciplinary, and fairness at work matters within the Department of Health and Social Care. The authority disclosed the total costs for the financial years 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19. | ||
| 2019-12-04 | What loss was accumulated the private patient unit | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the financial deficit that led to the closure of the Private Patient Unit. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that no loss was accumulated and directed the requester to a government news release explaining the closure. | ||
| 2019-12-02 | Clinical Waste Security Seals | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the items, usage, procurement, and cost of clinical waste security seals used by the Department of Health and Social Care. The authority disclosed that cable ties are used, purchased via the NHS Supply Chain, with an annual usage of approximately 10,600 units costing £450. | ||
| 2019-11-27 | Clinic waiting times at Nobles Hospital | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the most recent average waiting list figures for all clinics at Noble's Hospital. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by stating the information is already reasonably accessible on their website and provided a direct link along with an attached copy of the data. | ||
| 2019-11-20 | Malpractice cases at Nobles | All information sent |
| A request was made for data on malpractice cases involving Nobles Hospital over the last three years, specifically regarding financial payouts and court settlements. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that no cases went to trial, while providing specific monetary amounts paid for out-of-court settlements across four time periods. | ||
| 2019-11-18 | Admin staff absences & nursing staff contracts | All information sent |
| The request sought data on administration staff sickness absences and the employment status of non-island resident nurses on fixed-term contracts within the Department of Health and Social Care. The authority disclosed that 18 admin staff were off sick as of November 2019 and confirmed that no non-island resident nurses were employed on fixed-term contracts. | ||
| 2019-11-07 | Transfer of patients from Nobles Hospital to Ramsey Cottage Hospital | All information sent |
| The request sought data on patient transfers from Nobles Hospital to Ramsey Cottage Hospital and the procedures for obtaining patient consent. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that 268 patients were transferred in the specified period and confirmed that all patients are asked for consent, with care continuing at Nobles if they decline. | ||
| 2019-10-23 | Number of Residents Diagnosed with Crohns & Colitis | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care for the number of Isle of Man residents diagnosed with Crohn's and Colitis under the care of Nobles Hospital as of September 30, 2019. The authority disclosed that 132 patients were being treated for Crohn's and 102 for Ulcerative Colitis. | ||
| 2019-10-17 | Drug and Alcohol Team | All information sent |
| The request sought funding figures for the Drug and Alcohol Team over five years and details on plans to improve the service. The authority disclosed the annual funding amounts and outlined a new Core Recovery Service based on a hub and spoke model. | ||
| 2019-10-07 | Quit smoking services - Quit4You | All information sent |
| A request was made for detailed statistics, budget figures, and policy documents regarding the Isle of Man's Quit4You smoking cessation service from 2011 onwards. The authority responded by sending all requested information, including 37 pages of documents covering service data and carbon monoxide safety procedures. | ||
| 2019-09-30 | White Hoe Adolescent Unit & Cronk Sollysh (secure unit) | All information sent |
| The Department of Health and Social Care responded to a request for incident statistics at the White Hoe Adolescent Unit and Cronk Sollysh secure unit covering 2015 to 2019. The authority disclosed all requested data regarding police calls, assaults, ambulance usage, and substance incidents for both facilities. | ||
| 2019-08-27 | Service Operational Policies and Service Standards | All information sent |
| The request sought Isle of Man service standards for ambulance response times to 999 calls, and the Department of Health and Social Care disclosed the specific prioritization system and target arrival times for different call categories. | ||
| 2019-08-27 | Management of intoxicated patients with trauma | All information sent |
| The request sought policies for managing intoxicated trauma patients in the Ambulance Service and Emergency Department, specifically regarding pain relief and intoxication assessment. The response disclosed that paramedics follow JRCALC guidelines advising caution with opioids due to alcohol interaction, while the Emergency Department relies on clinical indications rather than specific intoxication protocols. | ||
| 2019-08-14 | Profit and Loss statement for nobes hospital staff canteen "Thie Bee" | All information sent |
| The requester asked for three years of internal accounts for the Nobles Hospital staff canteen 'Thie Bee', broken down by expenditure and revenue. The Department of Health and Social Care provided the financial figures but noted that direct year-on-year comparisons are difficult due to changes in accounting practices and the inclusion of shared costs with other facilities. | ||
| 2019-08-01 | Cancer treatment ' transfer off island | All information sent |
| The request sought the policy on free transfer trips for cancer patients treated off the Isle of Man. The authority disclosed that patients are normally funded for one return visit home every two weeks, with individual consideration for more frequent trips. | ||
| 2019-07-31 | Licence to research and develop Medical Cannabis | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the procedure to apply for a medical cannabis research licence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1976. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that no specific local procedure currently exists, as they are still assessing how to introduce a regulatory regime following recent consultations. | ||
| 2019-07-30 | Mental Health Unit | All information sent |
| 2019-07-29 | Lead related illnesses | All information sent |
| A request was made for the number of people treated for lead poisoning in the Isle of Man over the last five years. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that two patients were treated for this condition at Nobles Hospital during that period. | ||
| 2019-06-26 | Waiting times and GPs | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care for data on GP staffing, appointment availability, patient registration, waiting times, and Patient Access app usage. The authority disclosed all requested information, providing detailed breakdowns by practice and specific statistics for the period between March and July 2019. | ||
| 2019-05-22 | 2012 Report of Colorectal Surgery at Noble's | All information sent |
| The request sought a confidential 2012 investigative report by Mr. Stevan George Stojkovic regarding complications in elective colorectal surgery at Noble's Hospital, which was fully disclosed by the Department of Health and Social Care. The report details a specific case of unnecessary surgery and post-operative sepsis, leading to recommendations for improved clinical guidelines and monitoring. | ||
| 2019-05-20 | Pancreatic Cancer in the Isle of Man | All information sent |
| A request was made for statistics on total deaths, cancer deaths, and pancreatic cancer diagnoses, treatments, and survival rates in the Isle of Man between 2013 and 2018. The Department of Health and Social Care provided annual death and cancer statistics, pancreatic cancer diagnosis numbers from 2014 onwards, and treatment breakdowns, but noted that validated survival rate data was not yet available. | ||
| 2019-05-20 | Adoption | All information sent |
| A Freedom of Information request was made to the Isle of Man Department of Health and Social Care regarding adoption statistics, specifically concerning waiting adopters, children in foster care with adoption plans, and foster-to-adopt placements. The authority responded by disclosing specific figures for all three questions asked. | ||
| 2019-05-13 | Orthodontic Care | All information sent |
| The request sought details on orthodontic consultant payments, staffing numbers, salaries, and travel costs for the Isle of Man's primary and secondary care sectors between 2017 and 2019. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that two consultants work under bank contracts with travel and accommodation covered, while primary care services were contracted out to Regent Health Services Ltd in October 2017. | ||
| 2019-05-13 | Annual UDA reports of all NHS Dental performers on the island | All information sent |
| The request sought annual UDA performance reports for all NHS dental contractors on the Isle of Man, and the Department of Health and Social Care disclosed provisional 2018-2019 delivery figures alongside an explanation of the UDA banding system and contract rules. | ||
| 2019-03-19 | Financial information relating to retail outlet at Nobles Hospital. | All information sent |
| The requester asked for financial statements and management accounts for the retail shop at Nobles Hospital for the last two years of public administration by the DHSC. The authority responded that separate statements are not produced but provided an extract of employee costs, income, and expenditure covering the period from November 2016 to February 2019. | ||
| 2019-03-08 | Adoption - cost of external placement | All information sent |
| The request sought the cost charged to external adoption agencies for placing children with Isle of Man adopters. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that the current interagency fee is £27,000, based on Coram BAAF guidance. | ||
| 2019-03-01 | Numbers of deaths by suicide on the Isle of Man. | All information sent |
| The requester asked for suicide death statistics for the Isle of Man from 2014 to 2018, and the Department of Health and Social Care provided confirmed figures for 2014-2016 while noting that data for 2017 and 2018 was incomplete at the time of response. | ||
| 2019-02-26 | Isle of Man Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance Relationship | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the operational relationship, funding, and tendering processes between the Isle of Man Ambulance Service and St John Ambulance, including potential conflicts of interest. The authority disclosed that St John Ambulance provides an Urgent Transfer Service using IoMAS vehicles and supplies, with training provided by IoMAS, and previously offered informal surge capacity. | ||
| 2019-01-22 | Number of patients per GP | All information sent |
| The request sought the number of patients per registered GP on the Isle of Man, and the Department of Health and Social Care disclosed a table showing patient counts and full-time equivalent doctor numbers for each practice as of 31 December 2018. | ||
| 2018-12-24 | MIAA REPORT | All information sent |
| The request asked when MIAA recommendations were activated and if a further review would be conducted. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that changes began immediately after April 1, 2018, and stated that a re-audit is not currently planned as progress is monitored internally. | ||
| 2018-11-30 | MRSA | All information sent |
| A request was made for MRSA incident records at Noble's Hospital over the past three years, specifically including maternity and infant wards. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that there were five bloodstream infections in that period, none of which occurred in maternity or neonatal services. | ||
| 2018-11-12 | Care of the elderly | All information sent |
| The requester asked who is responsible for ensuring elderly patients at Noble's Hospital are safely put to bed in the evenings and if this is a designated duty in job descriptions. The Department of Health and Social Care responded that while it is not a specific line in job descriptions, it is a collective responsibility of the multidisciplinary team, with Registered Nurses delegating tasks to Healthcare Assistants under the supervision of the Senior Sister. | ||
| 2018-11-12 | Complaints Request | All information sent |
| A request was made for the total number of complaints against Nobles Hospital from January 2015 to October 2018, and the Department of Health and Social Care provided a full breakdown of formal complaints and patient contacts for that period. | ||
| 2018-10-26 | Vitamin D Test Results | All information sent |
| The Department of Health and Social Care provided a comprehensive summary of Vitamin D test results from Noble's Hospital for the period January 2013 to September 2018, categorized by both the requester's specified ranges and the hospital's standard British Endocrinology Society ranges. | ||
| 2018-10-04 | Neurology waiting list | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Health and Social Care regarding the current waiting times for neurology appointments. The authority disclosed that urgent referrals are seen within 6 weeks, while routine referrals face a wait of up to 10 months. | ||
| 2018-10-01 | Funding for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome treatment | All information sent |
| The request sought information on funding decisions, available treatments, and waiting lists for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) in the Isle of Man. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that current treatments are based on 2007 NICE guidelines (CBT and GET), noted patient concerns about GET, and provided specific neurology referral waiting list statistics. | ||
| 2018-09-28 | Waiting times | All information sent |
| The request sought current waiting times for Capsule Endoscopies and MRI scans from the Department of Health and Social Care. The authority disclosed that the next available routine appointment for a Capsule Endoscopy is July 2019, while MRI waiting times range from 4-6 weeks for urgent cases to 5 months for routine referrals. | ||
| 2018-09-26 | Vitamin d blood testing | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the full criteria for authorizing vitamin D blood tests for patients and doctors. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by stating the information is already reasonably accessible and provided a direct link to the relevant PDF document. | ||
| 2018-09-14 | DHSC & stress leave | All information sent |
| The requester asked for annual statistics on DHSC staff taking stress leave, broken down by profession, from the earliest available date to the present. The Department of Health and Social Care responded by providing the requested data in a table, noting that absences are recorded by start year and reasons are self-reported. | ||
| 2018-08-30 | 'Bed blocking' on Medical and Elderly Wards at Nobles | All information sent |
| The requester asked about the extent and trends of 'bed blocking' on Medical and Elderly Wards at Noble's Hospital and any plans to address it. The Department of Health and Social Care disclosed that the rolling average of delayed discharge patients across Noble's and Ramsey Hospitals is 10, with no impact on elective admissions or emergency capacity. | ||
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