Manx Care
71 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 336.6%
The Freedom of Information requests to Manx Care reveal an authority grappling with the dual pressures of pandemic-era scrutiny and systemic data limitations. A dominant theme is the reliance on the 'information not held' exemption, particularly regarding mortality data. In over a dozen cases (e.g., 1812503, 1994741, 2210085), Manx Care consistently refused to provide death statistics or cause-of-death breakdowns, stating they do not hold death certificates and directing requesters to the General Registry. This creates a significant blind spot in public understanding of health outcomes, as the authority holds admission and treatment data but claims no access to the final mortality records. Similarly, requests regarding the scientific specifics of the pandemic response (virus isolation, PCR thresholds) were met with clarifications that Manx Care does not perform these advanced procedures, effectively outsourcing the scientific narrative to UK laboratories while refusing to generate new data on adverse events.
Key Cases
Case 1786213 — Highlights a significant transparency gap where Manx Care refused to provide advertising authorizations, invoices, and payments under a 'practical refusal' exemption, despite disclosing the budget. This suggests potential opacity in how public funds are authorized and spent on marketing.
Case 2175541 — Reveals the massive financial reliance on agency and bank workers, providing a clear picture of the cost of staffing shortages. The inability to differentiate between nurses and HCAs due to shared finance codes also exposes weaknesses in the authority's financial tracking systems.
Case 2371715 — Directly addresses patient safety and accountability by disclosing 'Duty of Candour' incidents. The revelation of 20 incidents, including one escalated to a formal complaint, provides concrete evidence of systemic failures and the authority's response to them.
Case 1873690 — A pivotal case in the pandemic narrative where Manx Care explicitly stated they do not perform virus isolation procedures. This clarifies the scope of their laboratory capabilities and counters claims that they are hiding evidence of virus isolation, while simultaneously admitting they do not hold the data requested by skeptics.
Case 2082778 — Clarifies the financial relationship with the UK government regarding vaccines. By confirming the Isle of Man paid nothing for the vaccines themselves (provided free by the UK), it shifts the focus of public spending inquiries to administration and distribution costs rather than procurement.
Related FOI Stories
The 'Not Held' Defense on Mortality and Death Data — #1812503, #1812501, #1941281, #1988313, #1994741
Virology, PCR Protocols, and Vaccine Skepticism — #1845993, #1861725, #1873689, #1873690, #1880753
Financial Transparency and Spending — #1786213, #1799406, #1820933, #1943113, #2007297
Hospital Performance, Waiting Lists, and Staffing — #1782317, #1821533, #1838029, #1931457, #1940485
Data Compilation and System Limitations — #1786213, #1812503, #1820933, #1915369, #1919333
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-06 | NHS Dental Appointment Attendance Data | Information not held |
| The requester asked for NHS dental appointment attendance data and preference fulfillment statistics for patients allocated between May 2025 and January 2026. Manx Care refused the request under Section 11(3)(a) stating the information is not held, as attendance records are maintained by individual dental practices rather than the central authority. | ||
| 2026-01-30 | Official secrets act | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on Manx Care employees and contractors who have signed the Official Secrets Act, broken down by staff category. Manx Care responded that the information is not held because signing the Act is mandatory for all employees, so no specific data is collated, and no data exists for contractors. | ||
| 2026-01-26 | Loganair Patient Transfers | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the total gross amount paid by Manx Care to Loganair for patient transfers between 2021 and 2024. Manx Care responded that they do not hold this information because no money was paid directly to Loganair during those years, as the contract was held by the Department of Infrastructure. | ||
| 2025-11-19 | Air Ambulance Charity | Information not held |
| 2025-09-24 | Nigerian recruitment and relocation packages | Information not held |
| A request was made to Manx Care for detailed information regarding the recruitment of Nigerian nationals and associated relocation packages between 2020 and 2025. The authority responded that the requested information is not held. | ||
| 2025-09-05 | Non Manx Nurses | Information not held |
| A request was made for data on non-Manx nurses who left full-time employment at Noble's Hospital since August 2019, including their dates of departure and nationalities. Manx Care refused the request, stating the information is not held centrally and nationality data is not captured in a reportable format. | ||
| 2025-08-04 | Staff Travel | Information not held |
| A request was made for five years of data regarding non-clinical staff travel on the Isle of Man Air Ambulance and clinical team flight manifests. Manx Care refused the request stating they do not hold the information, suggesting the applicant contact the aviation provider instead. | ||
| 2025-07-25 | amount of children being caused harm by British Hospital | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on Manx children referred to UK hospitals and any harm suffered there since 2015. Manx Care responded that the information is not held and cannot be provided. | ||
| 2025-07-21 | FOI Request - Litigation History of Manx Care Radiology Department | Information not held |
| A request was made for a complete list of litigation history involving Manx Care's Radiology Department from 2016 to 2025, including case details and supporting documents. The authority responded that the information is not held and cannot be found after taking reasonable steps. | ||
| 2025-07-15 | Measles | Information not held |
| A request was made for year-by-year statistics on measles-related deaths in the Isle of Man over the last 30 years, but Manx Care responded that they do not hold this information. | ||
| 2025-07-09 | Alderhey and Great Ormond Street Medical Negligence | Information not held |
| The requester asked for statistics on Manx children referred to Alder Hey and Great Ormond Street hospitals since 2010, including instances of harm or medication overdoses. Manx Care responded that the information is not held due to a lack of reliable data from 2010 and an inability to identify children born to Manx parents. | ||
| 2025-04-02 | Migrant funding | Information not held |
| A request was made to Manx Care for detailed financial data regarding payments and benefits provided to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. The authority responded that the information is not held and cannot be created without exceeding statutory requirements. | ||
| 2025-03-06 | Costing | Information not held |
| A request was made for the cost of gender reassignment surgery for Manx residents over the past 12 months, but the authority responded that no such information is held because no surgeries were performed. | ||
| 2025-02-06 | Bonus Payments | Information not held |
| A request was made for details on Manx Care staff bonus payments, including counts, metrics, and totals since inception. The authority responded that the information is not held because Manx Care does not use a bonus payment framework, though occasional ex gratia payments are made without performance attribution. | ||
| 2025-01-21 | Charity Funds | Information not held |
| A request was made for a detailed breakdown of charity donation income and expenditure for Manx Care, including specific departmental allocations and current fund balances. The authority responded that the information was not held in the requested format and refused to create or derive it under the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||
| 2025-01-14 | On call payments for Anaesthetists | Information not held |
| A request was made for the specific on-call payment costs for two anaesthetists at Noble's Hospital during weekend hours, but Manx Care responded that this information is not held because on-call duties are embedded within overall salary packages and not recorded as separate line items. | ||
| 2024-12-05 | Air Ambulance Overnight Costs | Information not held |
| 2024-11-07 | Ambulances | Information not held |
| A request was made for details on the number and manufacturer of emergency ambulances in the IMAS Fleet, but Manx Care responded that the information is not held. | ||
| 2024-10-16 | Elective surgeries on hold | Information not held |
| A request was made for a list of elective surgical procedures cancelled due to recent budget cuts, but Manx Care responded that no such list exists as they have maintained operating times despite reduced theatre sessions. | ||
| 2024-09-09 | Temporary Workers Employed via Agencies | Information not held |
| A request was made to Manx Care for the number of temporary workers engaged via third-party agencies in 2023 and 2024, broken down by grade. The authority refused to provide the information, stating that compiling the data would require substantial effort not mandated by the Act. | ||
| 2024-08-06 | Cost of translators | Information not held |
| A request was made to Manx Care for data on translator costs, languages used, and employment numbers over the last five years. The authority refused the request, stating that the information is not held. | ||
| 2024-07-03 | Covid vaccine numbers update request - July 2024 | Information not held |
| The requester asked for updated statistics on the number of individuals receiving specific doses (1st through 8th) of the Covid-19 vaccine on the Isle of Man. Manx Care refused to provide the specific dose breakdown because the data is no longer recorded in that format, but disclosed the total number of booster doses administered since the previous request. | ||
| 2024-06-25 | CQC Inspections of Nobles Hospital | Information not held |
| A request was made for details regarding the next CQC inspection and rating timeline for Nobles Hospital, but Manx Care refused to provide the information as it is held by the Department of Health & Social Care. | ||
| 2024-05-30 | SARC Referral Centre query | Information not held |
| A request was made for annual user statistics of the Isle of Man's Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) since its opening. Manx Care responded that the information is not held because the facility is not yet fully operational and the building is under construction until May 2025. | ||
| 2024-04-16 | Opioid treatment following overdoses query | Information not held |
| 2024-04-11 | Taxa Genomics | Information not held |
| A request was made for payment details and work descriptions for Taxa Genomics between 2020 and 2024, but Manx Care responded that the information is not held. | ||
| 2024-04-09 | IBD population | Information not held |
| A request was made to Manx Care for the number of patients with specific Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) codes at each GP surgery to aid service development. The authority responded that the information is not held and cannot be found after reasonable steps. | ||
| 2024-03-08 | Patient care in the uk | Information not held |
| The requester asked for a detailed breakdown of costs for transferring patients to the UK for treatment over the last 12 months, but Manx Care stated they do not hold this specific information. However, the authority disclosed the total spend on fixed-wing Air Ambulance Services for patient transfers between April 2023 and February 2024. | ||
| 2023-11-21 | Assisted Dying - impact and risk assessment | Information not held |
| 2023-11-15 | Availability of ambulances to respond to emergency calls | Information not held |
| 2023-10-04 | Unclaimed Manx Residents in U.K. | Information not held |
| 2023-10-02 | Cardiology referals | Information not held |
| 2023-08-03 | Manx Care Complaints Costs | Information not held |
| 2023-05-16 | Duty of Candour and healthcare acquired COVID infections | Information not held |
| 2023-05-16 | Employment Tribunals | Information not held |
| 2023-03-31 | Medical Assurances | Information not held |
| 2023-03-30 | Assisted Dying | Information not held |
| 2023-03-21 | Superintendent pharmacists | Information not held |
| 2023-03-16 | Medical assurance | Information not held |
| 2022-12-09 | Transformation Team | Information not held |
| 2022-11-14 | Internet cameras | Information not held |
| 2022-11-09 | Covid | Information not held |
| 2022-11-08 | Deaths per month 2016-2022Oct | Information not held |
| 2022-09-15 | NHS dental patients ejected from dental practices | Information not held |
| A request was made for statistics on NHS dental patients ejected from practices over the past five years, including reasons and specific locations. Manx Care responded that the information is not held because there is no formal registration process for patient removals and practices are not required to report them. | ||
| 2022-09-13 | Sudden Adult Death Syndrome | Information not held |
| A request was made for the number of deaths from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome over the last five years, split by month. Manx Care refused the request stating they do not hold this information as cause of death is determined via death certificates held by the Civil Registry. | ||
| 2022-07-28 | Air Ambulance | Information not held |
| A request was made for the charity number, policies, annual reports, and spending details of the Isle of Man Air Ambulance. Manx Care responded that the information is not held because the Air Ambulance is not a registered charity but a unit of Noble's Hospital, with donations administered by separate hospital trusts. | ||
| 2022-06-15 | All cause mortality | Information not held |
| A request was made to Manx Care for all-cause mortality data split monthly from January 2016 to the present. The authority refused the request stating they do not hold the information and directed the requester to the Cabinet Office for published mortality reports. | ||
| 2022-05-23 | Statistics on Deaths by suicide | Information not held |
| A journalist requested statistics on registered deaths by suicide in the Isle of Man since 2019, but Manx Care refused the request stating they do not hold the information. | ||
| 2022-04-13 | Remdesivir | Information not held |
| The requester asked for the number of patients prescribed Remdesivir and their mortality rates within 6 weeks of treatment. Manx Care stated they do not hold patient-level prescription or death data, but provided aggregate drug issuance statistics for January to April 2022. | ||
| 2022-02-24 | HIV / Aids tests | Information not held |
| The applicant requested annual statistics on positive HIV test results and total tests conducted in the Isle of Man from 2015 to early 2022. Manx Care responded that they do not hold the specific data requested, citing section 11(3)(a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2015. | ||