Following a widespread review of the Isle of Man’s health services, its most recent phrase highlighted some “serious concerns” about delays in cancer diagnosis. The West Midlands Quality Review Service (WMQRS) found that the current practice was delaying diagnosis “by up to a year” for some patients.

October of this year saw the fourth phase of the £200,000 review, commissioned by the Manx government, carried out, which looked specifically at the Isle of Man’s cancer services. The review identified “widespread” problems in the referral system, with the report stating: “Some referrals were re-prioritised as 'routine', including some for patients with imaging reports indicating suspected cancer.”

A “forward-looking” service

A spokesperson from the Manx government said that work is already being done to solve this issue. A Quality Improvement Programme Board has been appointed which will work to put a Cancer Plan in place.

Despite the issues flagged up in the 30-page report, it did highlight the efficiency of the breast cancer department, describing it as a “forward-looking” service.  It also stated that the chemotherapy department was doing the best job it could with the resources available. The Times newspaper also commended the health service’s staff, saying they had a “positive approach”.

Health Minister Howard Quayle commented after reading the report: “Work continues apace to create a sustainable, high quality, value-for-money health service.”

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