The Manx Emergency Doctors Service (MEDS) will close between midnight and 8am on Mondays to Fridays from next Monday.

This is for an initial period of 12 weeks (until March 31).

Manx Care said the change is due to 'recent staffing issues' and because of the 'significant reduction in demand during these hours'.

During the eight hour period between midnight and 8am on weekdays from January 8 until March 31, those who need emergency care should call 999 or attend the Emergency Department directly.

For non-emergencies, contact your GP surgery when it opens, visit your local community pharmacy when available, or if appropriate, you get to head to Ramsey to attend the Minor Injuries and Illnesses Unit (MIU) when it opens at 8am.

Between midnight and 8am on weekdays, there will be an on-call GP available to support the Isle of Man Ambulance Service and Hospice Isle of Man, should they require them. 

From mid-January there will be an additional locum GP available during the day, who will provide additional capacity for on-the-day appointments that cannot be accommodated within a patient’s own GP practice.

Each GP Practice will have the ability to allocate a number of additional appointments on the day, which will be offered from a GP practice in Douglas.