Health Act, 1970

PART III

Hospitals, etc.

Provision and maintenance of hospitals, etc.

38.—(1) A health board may, with the consent of the Minister, provide and maintain any hospital, sanatorium, home, laboratory, clinic, health centre or similar premises required for the provision of services under the Health Acts, 1947 to 1970.

(2) The Minister may give to a health board such direction as he thinks fit in relation to the provision or maintenance of any premises provided and maintained under subsection (1) and in relation to the arrangements for providing services therein, and the health board shall comply with any such direction.

(3) A health board may and, if directed by the Minister, shall discontinue the provision and maintenance of any premises provided and maintained by it under subsection (1).

(4) A health board shall not exercise its powers under subsection (3) in relation to the discontinuance of the provision and maintenance of a hospital, sanatorium or home save with the consent of the Minister.

(5) The Minister shall not give a direction under subsection (3) in relation to the discontinuance of the provision and maintenance of a hospital, sanatorium or home save after having caused a local inquiry to be held into the desirability of the discontinuance.

(6) Where, on a discontinuance under subsection (3), a person who held an office under the health board in the premises affected is offered a similar office by the board, the first-mentioned office shall, for the purposes of the superannuation of the person, be deemed not to have been abolished.