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Manx Care has confirmed how it plans to deal with TT 2024, which is undoubtedly the busiest time of year for our healthcare service.
In response to the increased demand, Noble Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) will bring in additional nursing and medical staff to enhance the trauma team’s response capabilities and increase the ability to manage all other patients requiring urgent or emergency care.
Manx Care has been working with colleagues at the Aintree Major Trauma Centre and Walton Neuroscience Centre to support patients who have sustained severe and multiple injuries and require urgent transfer off the island. Medical transfers for patients requiring specialist care will be provided by Manx Care’s fixed wing air ambulance service, who are on standby 24/7 to support the race and the public, once the patient is stabilised for transfer at Noble’s, or by the team at GNAAS (Great North Air Ambulance Service), who are able to fly directly to the scene of the incident to provide advanced pre-hospital care and transfer the patient directly to a specialist hospital in the North West or to Noble’s if necessary. The GNAAS helicopter will be based in Langwathby, Cumbria or Eaglescliffe, County Durham, on standby to fly to the island if required.
The Noble Hospital Orthopedic Trauma Team is staffed to meet the increased demand and additional orthopedic trauma surgeons are scheduled daily as needed to support the Noble team during the event.
The intensive care unit was adequately staffed during the TT to care for patients who were seriously ill or injured prior to transfer to the UK.
In anticipation of an increase in demand at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospitals, particularly for urgent diagnostic assessments in the event of a major traumatic incident, additional radiology support has been secured and additional blood products have been ordered to allow for treatment in the event an emergency transfusion is required.
The Isle of Man Ambulance Service (IMAS) is expecting another busy year and will be receiving mutual assistance, with two colleagues arriving from the Isle of Wight and one from Guernsey. In addition to the usual land-based ambulances, the service will have a full fleet of emergency vehicles, including critical care vehicles, rapid response vehicles and the A99 helicopter, enabling them to reach non-racing incidents in hard-to-reach locations as quickly as possible. The A99 will be staffed by emergency paramedics from Manx Care.
In addition to this, a paramedic from GNAAS will join IMAS within two weeks and will work with IMAS staff on a daily basis to support their response. The TT response will be overseen by IMAS senior duty managers who work on a 24/7 shift model. The team will be ready to respond by phone, road or air to those who need them most.
The Minor Injury and Illness Unit (MIU) at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital will be fully staffed, including medical and non-medical prescribing staff, and X-rays for two weeks. This service is vital to support people living in the north of the island and those who can easily travel there for assessment and treatment. Any patients with minor injuries or illnesses who can be assessed at Ramsey should continue to use the service during TT to reduce pressure on the Noble Hospital Emergency Department.
Noble Hospital is maintaining normal services as far as possible, such as outpatient appointments, blood tests, endoscopies, x-rays and scheduled surgeries, with only our orthopaedic services being significantly impacted by the TT incident. We ask the public travelling to Noble or Ramsay Hospital for a scheduled appointment to allow plenty of time, particularly during road closures, and if you are unable to attend your appointment please contact the Patient Information Centre on +44 1624 650103.
The Isle of Man Medical Centre’s instruction booklet highlights all the services available to people requiring medical support throughout Trinidad and Tobagocovering GP services, community pharmacy services, emergency dental and eye services, community mental health services and the importance of self-care. The guide is available in six languages - English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Polish – and can be accessed at manxcare.im or gov.im/signposting.
Oliver Radford, Executive Director of Medical Services at Manx Care, commented:
“We have been working hard to meet the challenges of TT since the fall of 2023 and are committed to improving our plans year on year to provide the highest quality care to those who need assistance during the event, while striving to provide ‘business as usual’ services for local residents, despite the addition of 50,000 people to the island. I want residents and visitors to be reassured that we will be there for them if they need us.”
The Isle of Man Care Centre reminds all visitors to the island to ensure they have adequate health insurance to cover the entire journey if required, and to bring with them during their travels all prescription medicines and any other medical items that they may use on a daily basis at home.
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