§ MR. WATT (Glasgow, College)To ask the Secretary for Scotland whether the Commissioners of the Local Government Board who inquired into the charges of mismanagement at Ruchill, Glasgow, found that the resident medical officers were in no way to blame for what occurred; whether, notwithstanding this finding, these officers have been dismissed; and, if so, whether he will take steps to recommend their reinstatement.
(Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The Commissioners did not find that the resident medical officers were responsible for the irregularities that formed the subject of inquiry; they were not dismissed on account of these irregularities, but on other grounds; and, as already stated in reply to a previous Question, I have no power to interfere with the discretion of the local authority in the matter of their dismissal.
§ MR. WATTTo ask the Secretary for Scotland with reference to the public inquiry by his Department into the charges of overcrowding and mismanagement in Ruchill Fever Hospital, Glasgow, whether it was the duty of the Commissioners appointed for this inquiry, in finding the charges well founded, to apportion the blame among the officials responsible; if so, whom did the Commissioners find responsible; and what has been done by the Local Government Board with regard to these officials to prevent a recurrence of the evil.
(Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The Local Government Board's remit to their Commissioners was to "inquire and report to them upon the complaints of overcrowding and under-staffing of Ruchill Fever Hospital and on the administration and management of the hospital." The conclusions of the Commissioners will be found in their Report, which has been 1525 issued as a Stationery Office Paper. The main responsibility was declared to rest on the medical superintendent, but, as regards overcrowding, it was shared to some extent by the medical officer of health, and, as regards under-staffing, by the matron. The Report was sent to the local authority, who have now dealt with the officials responsible.
§ MR. WATTTo ask the Secretary for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the fact that on some days in December, 1907, there were over 800 patients in Ruchill Fever Hospital, Glasgow, although the authorised maximum allowed is only 440; whether his Department has traced who brought about this overcrowding; and what arrangement has it made to see that the statutory duty of the local authority to make provision for all cases of infectious diseases is carried out without giving rise to excessive overcrowding.
(Answered by Mr. Sinclair.) The Report of the Commissioners appointed by the Local Government Board shows that on certain days there were over 800 patients in Ruchill Hospital. The majority of the patients were children, and the authorised number allowed is 440 adults. The responsibility for the overcrowding is dealt with in the preceding Question; it lies with the local authority to make provision for such cases and to exercise all reasonable provision in the matter.