The future of the Great North Air Ambulance Service’s (GNAAS) role in providing emergency air medical care in the island will be determined during a meeting next month.
Health and Social Care Minister Claire Christian admitted to Tynwald that Manx Care is currently working with GNAAS on a ‘goodwill basis’ after admitting it could no longer pay the monthly retainer fee of £20,833.
The contract, initially established as a six-month pilot in March 2022, included the monthly retainer fee, along with £7,000 per mission.
There was also a one-off equipment funding payment of £14,500 when the contract was first signed.
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The agreement had an extension option for up to 60 months, with three review points, the last of which expired in March 2024. There was the chance to sign a longer deal which would run until March 2027 but Manx Care has been unable to commit to that.
Ms Christian was responding to an urgent question from Arbory, Malew and Castletown MHK Jason Moorhouse about the GNAAS contract at this week’s Tynwald sitting.
She told members Manx Care had contacted GNAAS in February to say the retainer fee would no longer be paid after the financial year ending April 2025.
A meeting has now been arranged for April 1 to decide whether a deal can be made going forward to simply pay for each callout and not pay the retainer or whether the contract will end completely.
Manx Care requested an alternative costing model from GNAAS, but the response did not address this request.
Ms Christian said: ‘The contract has expired and the current relationship is based on goodwill and mutual commitment.’
She said Manx Care had began discussions with GNAAS on the funding model in December.
Ms Christian said: ‘In that meeting Manx Care confirmed they would not be able to sustain funding for the retainer going forward.
‘Manx Care asked GNAAS to provide an alternative per mission costing and discuss ways in which Manx Care could support their charitable efforts on island.’
She said the same level of service is currently being maintained with a combination of GNAAS, the fixed-wing aircraft and the Coastguard helicopter.
GNAAS has operated in the Isle of Man as part of healthcare transformation efforts following an independent review by Sir Jonathan Michael.
While the UK-based service is primarily funded through public donations, the service is paid for by taxpayers in the Isle of Man.
Ms Christian added: ‘The hope was that they would be able to fund that locally through donations. Unfortunately, that hasn’t transpired.’
In the last week, GNAAS’s head of operations for Cumbria and the Isle of Man Lee Salmon says he's stepped down from his position partly over the future of the Manx service.
He said: ‘I am deeply concerned about the future of key services, including but not limited to the Isle of Man Airbridge, and I believe transparency and accountability are essential.
‘To the people across this vast region—I am truly sorry that I haven’t been able to secure the long-term service you deserve. However, I no longer feel able to support the direction being taken at a leadership level.’