Only vacancies that are critical to the delivery of frontline health and social care services are to be recruited to by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).  The measure, which is temporary and has been introduced with immediate effect, means a freeze on recruitment to non-essential roles.

The decision has been taken as the DHSC continues its work to provide services within the budget voted to the Department by Tynwald, just under ?210 million net for 2017/18.  Over the past two years the Department has had to seek supplementary funding from Tynwald totalling ?20 million.

Minister for Health and Social Care, Kate Beecroft MHK, said: “I want the public to be clear that the DHSC will continue to recruit essential frontline staff to minimise any impact on critical services.  There will however be greater scrutiny of each request before recruitment begins, to ensure that each post is absolutely essential.  Meanwhile, there will be a complete freeze on recruitment to non-essential vacancies.

“This is a temporary arrangement whilst work continues on developing measures to bring the DHSC’s budget into balance for the longer term.  Despite this work, it has become clear that more immediate action is required to try and avoid once again returning to Tynwald to seek additional funding.  There are likely to be further announcements in the coming weeks and months.

“This is not an easy decision to make, but it demonstrates the nature of the budgetary challenge facing the DHSC and the seriousness with which I and the Department’s political members view the situation.”

Recruitment exercises which are already in progress will be completed.