HSE applies two-hour rule even for remote meetings!

Bradley Bytes – a sort of political column with Dara Bradley

The HSE was never an organisation big on openness, transparency and accountability.

So you’d forgive Sligo County Councillor Declan Bree for being somewhat cynical at the latest HSE West Regional Health Forum meeting, which was conducted remotely, on Zoom.

It began at 2pm and, repeatedly throughout, Chairperson Councillor John Carroll reminded members that it had to finish at 4pm.

At 4.05pm, as Cllr Carroll attempted to bring the meeting to a close, Cllr Bree was suspicious as to why an extension could not apply.

Fair enough, if it had been a face-to-face meeting, where the guidelines for limiting the spread of Covid-19 recommend two-hour limits, but the HSE Forum was online and held remotely.

“I thought we could meet on Zoom all day,” said Cllr Bree. “Is this an attempt to reduce the effectiveness of this Forum?”

Tony Canavan, CEO of Saolta University Healthcare Group, explained that the two-hour limit was a Government guideline on indoor gatherings, to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Mr Canavan, who was in a room somewhere in Merlin Park, had a number of other HSE employees in that room with him during the meeting, and so the two-hour limit applied.

Cllr Bree – rightly irked – suggested that “in this day and age” could the others not stay out of the room until they were needed. Or better still, get their own room and their own computer.

“Good God, we should be able to sort this . . .” he said, as the Zoom meeting terminated abruptly.

At least media are allowed attend the Zoom meetings. During the Covid-19 crisis, the HSE had planned to proceed with the Forum meetings without any nosy journalists present. But luckily the organisation saw sense after Galway County Councillor Daithí Ó Cualáin (FF) kicked up a fuss about in-camera meetings.

At a time when HSE budgets are beginning to be slashed, and there are talks of another recruitment moratorium, there is a requirement for more scrutiny, not less.
For more Bradley Bytes, see this week’s Galway City Tribune. You can buy a digital edition HERE.

(Photo: FF Councillor from Connemara Daithí Ó Cualáin insisted that the media be allowed attend HSE Forum Zoom meetings).