Manx Care’s Private Patient Unit (PPU) is set to reopen in June, the Health Minister has confirmed.

The unit at Noble’s Hospital has not been fully-functional for five years after it was shut for refurbishment.

Private inpatient and the majority of private day case procedures were suspended in January 2019 and the Private Patient Unit (Ward 19) closed ‘temporarily’ for an initial period of 18 months.

The PPU had generated up to £500,000 a year at its peak and Health Minister Claire Christian is keen to get it back up and running.

At this week’s Tynwald sitting, Arbory, Castletown and Malew MHK Jason Moorhouse asked when the PPU will reopen.

She said: ‘Manx Care is also close to approving the over-arching private patients policy that will govern how private practice is delivered by Manx Care.

‘Given the ongoing financial challenges facing Manx Care for 2025-26 the opening of the PPU will be accelerated in order to supplement the delivery of publicly funded services and aims to offer services at the PPU in June 2025.’

Ms Christian explained that the PPU is not currently providing in-patient or day care services but is open for the provision of private diagnostic services and a limited range of private out-patient services such as radiology cardiology and fertility.’

She also revealed the PPU was temporarily housing the ambulatory assessment and treatment unit with ten beds available should Manx Care need to open an additional in-patient facility to cope with a surge in demand due to seasonal pressures’.

She said the private healthcare service team is working to open up more private care options.

‘Manx Care’s goal is to ensure the services provided are of high quality and do not interfere with or negatively impact on NHS service delivery,’ she said.