A BODY which carried out an independent audit into Noble’s Hospital is no longer available to inspect Manx health services following a restructure.
It means the island’s health services don’t come under the remit of an identifiable external body and are now only internally audited.
Health Minister David Anderson MHK revealed the information in response to a question in the House of Keys this week from Kate Beecroft (Douglas South). He moved to allay any concern by going into great detail about the processes in place to protect the quality of patient care.
Mr Anderson explained that the Healthcare Commission, which carried out the Noble’s inspection in 2006, became part of the Care Quality Commission after it was merged with inspectorates responsible for social care facilities and for mental health.
Although the Healthcare Commission had not, strictly speaking, been responsible for auditing in the Isle of Man it had agreed to take on the role. But since the CQC had formed, said Mr Anderson, it had been made clear to health chiefs in the island that this arrangement would not continue.
Mr Anderson said he would not rule out asking the CQC again when it came time to look for an external auditor but he went on to say there may be a need to find one elsewhere.
The Health Minister then listed the in-house monitoring in place.
‘Considerable effort goes into maintenance of clinical governance and other standards,’ said Mr Anderson.
But Mrs Beecroft said the systems Mr Anderson had detailed were not the same as an external independent audit and pressed him for a reassurance that he would find a solution.
Mr Anderson said he would ‘look elsewhere’ to find an external body to carry out an audit ‘when relevant’.
Mrs Beecroft picked up on the latter comment and pushed him further, asking him to let members know when he had contacted other potential audit providers. ‘It is vitally important that treatment is of the highest standard possible,’ said Mrs Beecroft.