Gastroenterology Waiting Times and Readmittance Statistics
| Authority | Manx Care |
|---|---|
| Date received | 2026-01-09 |
| Outcome | Some information sent but not all held |
| Outcome date | 2026-02-20 |
| Case ID | 5217209 |
Summary
A request for Gastroenterology waiting times and readmittance statistics at Nobles Hospital was partially fulfilled by Manx Care, which provided outpatient waiting figures and inpatient discharge data but refused requests regarding diagnosis-based waiting lists and treatment plans due to data limitations.
Key Facts
- In December 2025, 533 patients were waiting for an initial gastroenterology appointment.
- In December 2025, 1,841 patients were waiting for a follow-up gastroenterology appointment.
- Manx Care does not store diagnosis information for waiting list entries in a reportable format.
- The authority lacks Referral To Treatment (RTT) functionality in its patient administration system.
- 154 inpatient and daycase patients were discharged within 1 day or less, while data for longer stays was suppressed.
Data Disclosed
- 533
- 1,841
- 154
- December 2025
- 2024/2025
- 2026-01-09
- 2026-02-20
- 30 days
- 1 day or less
- 1-3 days
- 3-7 days
- 7-10 days
- 10 days or more
Exemptions Cited
- Section 11(3)(a) of the Act (practical refusal: information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps)
Original Request
Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to submit a request regarding waiting times and readmittance statistics in the Gastroenterology department at Nobles Hospital. I would be grateful if you could provide the following information: 1- How many patients are waiting for an initial appointment with a gastroenterologist? 2- How many patients in the Gastroenterology department are waiting for a follow up appointment? 3- How many patients have been diagnosed in the Gastroenterology department and are waiting for treatment? 4- How many patients have been diagnosed and discharged from the Gastroenterology department without treatment or treatment plan. 5: Number of cases dealt with by the Gastroenterology Department at Nobles Hospital, and the timescale of patient discharge post-procedure. Patient discharged: 1 day or less 1-3 days 3-7 days 7-10 days 10 days or more Post procedure. 6: Of patients seen in the Gastroenterology department and discharged after their procedure at Nobles, what percentage of patients are readmitted 30 days or more post-discharge with issues in the affected area. Please proceed working within the time-frame of the last 24 months (2024/2025) for all questions where a specific time-frame is not stated explicitly.
Data Tables (1)
| Inpatient + Daycases |
|---|
| 1 day or less = 154 |
| 3 or more = --* |
Full Response Text
Manx Care Noble’s Hospital, Strang Braddan, Isle of Man IM4 4R (01624) 650 000
Our ref: 5217209 3 February 2026
Dear
We write further to your request, received 9 January 2026, which states:
"Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to submit a request regarding waiting times and readmittance statistics in the Gastroenterology department at Nobles Hospital. I would be grateful if you could provide the following information:
1- How many patients are waiting for an initial appointment with a gastroenterologist?
2- How many patients in the Gastroenterology department are waiting for a follow up appointment?
3- How many patients have been diagnosed in the Gastroenterology department and are waiting for treatment?
4- How many patients have been diagnosed and discharged from the Gastroenterology department without treatment or treatment plan.
5: Number of cases dealt with by the Gastroenterology Department at Nobles Hospital, and the timescale of patient discharge post-procedure.
Patient discharged:
1 day or less
1-3 days
3-7 days
7-10 days
10 days or more
Post procedure.
6: Of patients seen in the Gastroenterology department and discharged after their procedure at Nobles, what percentage of patients are readmitted 30 days or more post-discharge with issues in the affected area.
Please proceed working within the time-frame of the last 24 months (2024/2025) for all questions where a specific time-frame is not stated explicitly."
Response
1- How many patients are waiting for an initial appointment with a
gastroenterologist?
In December 2025 there were 533 patients waiting for a first outpatient appointment
with a consultant.
Please note Manx Care waiting times are published here – https://www.gov.im/about-
the-government/statutory-boards/manx-care/patientaccess-policy-and-waiting-times-
reports/manx-care-waiting-times-reports/
2- How many patients in the Gastroenterology department are waiting for a follow up appointment?
In December 2025 there were 1,841 patients waiting for a follow up outpatient appointment with a consultant.
3- How many patients have been diagnosed in the Gastroenterology department and are waiting for treatment?
S11 (3)(a)
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Care
is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section
11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or
cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have
requested.
We do not currently store diagnosis information for waiting list entries in a way that can be reported on. We are unable to report numbers waiting for “treatment” which is difficult to define in the context of Gastroenterology. We do not have Referral To Treatment (RTT) functionality enabled within our patient administration system.
4- How many patients have been diagnosed and discharged from the Gastroenterology department without treatment or treatment plan.
S11 (3)(a)
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Care
is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section
11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or
cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have
requested.
We do not record any information regarding treatment plans in a reportable format.
5: Number of cases dealt with by the Gastroenterology Department at Nobles Hospital, and the timescale between admission and discharge.
Patient discharged:
1 day or less
1-3 days
3-7 days
7-10 days 10
days or more
Post procedure.
Inpatient + Daycases
1 day or less = 154
3 or more = --*
Please note, we are only able to report whole spell length of stay i.e. time from admission to discharge, which may not always be the same as the procedure date until discharge, however procedures would typically be performed on the admission date.
*small value suppression.
6: Of patients seen in the Gastroenterology department and discharged after their procedure at Nobles, what percentage of patients are readmitted 30 days or more post-discharge with issues in the affected area.
S11 (3)(a)
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Manx Care
is unable to provide the information you have requested. This is in line with section
11(3)a of the Act, as a practical refusal reason applies; namely we do not hold or
cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the information that you have
requested.
We are unable to report readmissions for “issues in the affected area” due to complex
nature of clinical coding.
Please quote the reference number 5217209 in any future communications.
Your right to request a review
If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.
An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.
If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on;
- Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or
- Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.
I will now close your request as of this date.
Yours faithfully