Health Board to be tidied

Press, 19 April 1982, Page 4

Health Board to be tidied

Parliamentary reporter A bill tidying the advisory role of the Board of Health, and involving to a greater extent the private sector and voluntary agencies, has been introduced in Parliament, and referred to the Health and Welfare Select Committee for the hearing of submissions. The Health Amendment (No. 2) Bill does not stipulate in particular who shall be appointed to the Board of Health, but gives the Minister powers to recommend the appointment of persons from a wide range of health services, mentioning in particular voluntary and private agencies. The bill alters the committee function of the board. The Health Act leaves appointment of committees entirely to the board, but the bill makes appointment and membership of committees subject to the Minister’s approval. This provision is to cut back duplication of work by committees, reduce the numbers of committees meeting, and the commitments of professional people to committee work. At present committee workloads,, often borne by the same people on different committees, has diminished the effective contribution of the committees on matters on which advice is being sought. The bill protects the board from actions for defamation — in the absence of bad faith — over any report, advice, or warning issued by the board.

It redefines the functions of the board, separating those which can be performed without the request or consent of the Minister, from those which must be undertaken only at his request. The latter covers work to evaluate anything to do with the health' services. ■ and warnings on health matters.