§ 11. Mr. David Watkinsasked the Minister of Health if he will issue a directive to hospital authorities to implement the recommendation of the Study Group on the Work, Grading, Training and Qualifications of Hospital Engineers, that building supervisors should have full technical and managerial responsibility for their own departments.
§ Mr. SnowNo, Sir. Hospital authorities have been advised to have regard to this recommendation, but it is for them to decide in the light of local circumstances how the duties of building supervisors and group engineers should be related.
§ Mr. WatkinsI appreciate that point, but is my hon. Friend aware that there is great dissatisfaction among building supervisors because of their inferior standing and salary in comparison with group engineers?
§ Mr. SnowThe present position is that hospital authorities have discretion whether to employ a building supervisor to be in charge of building maintenance, or to place both engineering and building maintenance under the control of the group engineer. Local circumstances call for different solutions, but my right hon. Friend is at present conducting an inquiry into the organisation of hospital building maintenance which will include the duties of the category of persons to whom my hon. Friend refers.