The current model of paying for care in the Isle of Man needs to change.

That was the overwhelming opinion in response to a public consultation on how nursing, residential and home care should be paid for in the future.

Feedback was invited on two options - a ‘mixed model’ based on the Jersey ‘threshold and cap’ system and a ‘free personal care’ model based on the NHS-style Scottish model.

Both models would enable people to protect more of their assets and income and would provide the option to receive care at home - if safe and appropriate for them to do so.

But the additional cost will fall to society to fund and this means that people will pay for it throughout their life instead.

There were 1,227 responses to the consultation.

Opinions were almost equal split, with 48% in support of the free personal care model, and 45% opting for the mixed model. Only 5% wanted to continue with the current system.

The consultation also asked for feedback on thresholds or caps on how much people will be expected to spend from their own savings or assets.

A significant majority (78%) agreed that the amount individuals should pay towards care should have a limit or ‘cap’. However, they felt that a fixed amount was not acceptable or fair. Instead, they preferred a percentage or sliding scale.

As a result of this feedback, the Health and Care Transformation Programme (HCTP) team are testing a sliding scale of thresholds and caps that are a percentage of a person's overall income or assets.

Once work on the cost model has been completed, it will be passed to Treasury to consider how, and if, a new model might be funded.

The HCTP team are also assessing the affordability of implementing a new model. It is expected that findings and recommendations will be presented to Tynwald in 2025.