asked the Minister for Health whether members of regional health boards may be employed by the boards of which they are members.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answer. - Regional Health Boards.
1.
A member of a health board may hold employment under it provided his type of office or employment does not exclude him from membership in accordance with an order made under the Second Schedule of the Health Act, 1970.
Is the Minister aware that this regulation does not apply to any other board or committee set up by the Government and is it not a ludicrous situation whereby a member of a board is also a servant of the same board? Surely the Minister should have foreseen that these situations would arise?
This question was discussed at considerable length on the occasion of the passage through the House of the Health Bill. The new health boards have members from their own staffs. These include county medical officers, surgeons, psychiatric nurses, nurses serving in health board hospitals and doctors serving as dispensary medical officers. It would be almost impossible to have the professional element of the board if they were excluded but certain types of officers such as programme managers are being excluded under the regulations to be made in accordance with the Health Act. We will have to see how it works. My belief is that it should work very well and satisfactorily but obviously this is a matter which must be watched during the course of events of the next five or ten years. I have no reason to suppose that these members of the boards will act in a way that is undesirable or that is not in the public interest.
Would the Minister agree that this is a most desirable development to encourage worker participation in the management of the concerns by which they are employed?
Part of the whole objective was to get the professional side and employees—nurses in hospitals—to collaborate with local authority representatives. Of course, the basis of it is that they will all act collectively, that a nurse should give her nursing experience in discussions at board meetings where community services are involved. At the same time, she would act in a collective capacity. Similarly in the case of doctors, medical officers and other members of the board. So far as I know, this is working very well.
Is representation confined to the professionals?
I have mentioned that psychiatric nurses and other nurses are also included in the membership of the board.
What about boilermen, for example?
In view of what the Minister says, can he tell us if he has yet made up his mind as to what he will do in regard to some of these people acting as chairmen or as vice chairmen of the boards?
(Cavan): What is the position in relation to chairmen and vice-chairmen?
There is no use in saying that, as is the case in relation to the health grants, we will wait until after 1st April.
I would require notice of that question.
Is the Minister aware that there are many ways of procuring professional advice without going to one's own employees? I am a member of the Limerick Health Board. We have already held four meetings and I can say that I would have been better off employed at a boy scout meeting than listening to the statements and the suggestions of some of those men.
We cannot have a discussion on the matter.
What the Minister says may be all right in theory but from my short experience——
The Deputy is making a long speech.
I would suggest to the Minister that he would apply himself immediately to this question and not wait until five or ten years have elapsed. The situation should be considered at the end of this year, April, 1971.
There was a large measure of agreement in this House on the characteristics of the board. I propose to follow the advice given to me not only by Members on all sides of the House in regard to the constitution of these boards——
(Cavan): Will the Minister clarify the position regarding the appointment of chairmen and vice-chairmen of these boards? Will he say if employees of the boards are qualified to hold these positions? It is important that we should know.
A decision was taken in that regard but I forget exactly what it was.
There is no use in the Minister knowing if he will not tell the boards.