‘State Sector Bill ignores democratic procedures’

Press, 4 March 1988, Page 8

‘State Sector Bill ignores democratic procedures’

The State Sector Bill would place hospital boards in an impossible position, according to the president of the Hospital Boards’ Association, Mr Tom Grigg. ;

The State Sector I Bill ignored the role of democratically elected hospital and area health board members by marking board chief executives the legal employer of all staff, Mr Grigg said.

The association is gravely concerned about the proposal that would diminish the responsibility of the boards.

Mr Grigg said a board had to be able to select a chief executive it was prepared to work with and the chief executive had to fee! that he or she was responsible to somebody.! “I strongly believe the responsibility of boards should not be downgraded. Every' successful company has a good' board of directors to whom the chief executive is responsible," he said, i

The association believes staff would feel their security was threatened by the proposal and that problems would arise

over issues such as wrong : ful dismissal. The' submissions the association made to the Parliamentary select committee on Wednesday, mainly concerned the possible erosion; of the board’s power! and the control the [State Services Commission! would hav.e over appointments. V, Mr Grigg said the association iwas given assurances that a. number of its submissions were acceptable to the committee but it would have to wait to see the draft copy of the bill before it coul

ijeact with any[ certainty. j "The chairman has given me an Undertaking that we will see a copy of the bill when it goes back to the House sb that if!we still have major concerns we can make them known to the involved,” he said. ( The association agreed to the principle of general management, [as it j re-’ fleeted an international trend but found! the proposal on the responsibility of employment matters unacceptable, [he said.