Dublin Hospitals Regulation Act, 1856

DUBLIN HOSPITALS REGULATION ACT 1856

C A P. CX.

An Act for the better Regulation of the House of Industry Hospitals and other Hospitals in Dublin supported wholly or in part by Parliamentary Grants. [29th July 1856.]

40 G. 3. c. 40. (L.)

1 G. 4. c. 49. 1 & 2 Vict. c. 56.

Whereas an Act was passed in the Parliament of Ireland in the Fortieth Year of the Reign of His Majesty King George the Third, intituled An Act for the better Regulation and Management of the House of Industry established for the Relief of the Poor in Dublin, which was amended by an Act of the First Year of His Majesty King George the Fourth, Chapter Forty-nine: And whereas by an Act passed in the First and Second Years of the Reign of Her present Majesty, Chapter Fifty-six, the said House of Industry was vested in the Poor Law Commissioners, and the said Commissioners have appropriated a Portion thereof to the Purposes of a Workhouse for the North Dublin Union: And whereas it is expedient to make other Provisions for the Regulation of the Hospitals attached to such House of Industry, called in this Act the “House of Industry Hospitals,” and for other Hospitals in Dublin supported wholly or in part by Parliamentary Grants:’ Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, as follows:

Short Title.

I. In citing this Act for any Purpose whatever, it shall be sufficient to use the Expression “Dublin Hospitals Regulation Act.”

Interpretation of certain Terms.

II. In the Interpretation of this Act, save where there is anything in the Subject or Context repugnant to such Construction, the Words “Lord Lieutenant” shall include any other Chief Governor or Governors of Ireland; the Word “Officer” shall mean and include Governors, Chaplains, Physicians, Surgeons, Apothecaries, Stewards, Clerks, Superintendents, Matrons, and other Officers; and the Word “Servant” shall mean and include Warders, Nurses, Keepers, Laundresses, Store Maids, Beadles, Gatekeepers, Porters, Messengers, and other Servants.

The House of Industry Hospitals, and the Lands belonging thereto vested in Board of Works.

III. The House of Industry Hospitals, and all Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments of and belonging thereto, and not appropriated to the Purposes of a Workhouse under the Provisions of the said last-recited Act, shall vest in the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland for the Time being in trust for and to the Use of the said Hospitals, according to the Nature and Quality, Estate and Interest of and in such Property, and subject to the Debts, Charges, and Incumbrances (if any) respectively affecting the same; but the said House of Industry Hospitals shall, subject to the Provisions hereinafter contained in relation thereto, be regulated and managed in the Manner in which the same arc now by Law regulated and managed, until the Lord Lieutenant shall by Order under his Hand otherwise direct.

Lord Lieutenant, with Consent of Treasury, to regulate Number of Officers, &c. for House of Industry Hospitals.

IV. The Lord Lieutenant shall, subject to the Approval of the Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury and to the Provisions herein-after contained, regulate and determine the Number and Description of Officers and Servants to be kept for the said House of Industry Hospitals as he may think fit, and the Salaries to be paid to them respectively, and the Lord Lieutenant may from Time to Time appoint or remove such Officers or Servants, and upon every Vacancy by Death, Removal, or otherwise in any such Office may appoint some other Person to such Office, and may fill up or not, as in his Discretion he may think fit, Vacancies among such Officers and Servants.

Lord Lieutenant may direct Management of the Hospitals to be vested in Board of Governors.

V. The Lord Lieutenant may, when he shall deem it expedient so to do, by Order direct that the Management of the House of Industry Hospitals shall be vested in a Board of Governors to be partly nominated by the Lord Lieutenant and partly elected by the Subscribers to the said Hospitals, in such Proportion as the Lord Lieutenant shall from Time to Time determine, and the Lord Lieutenant shall also from Time to Time determine the Number of Members of which such Board shall consist, and the Qualification of such Members as are to be so elected by the said Subscribers.

Board, with Approval of Lord Lieutenant and Treasury, to regulate Number of Officers, &c.

VI. Such Board of Governors, when so appointed, shall, subject to the Approval of the Lord Lieutenant, and of the Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury, and subject to such Orders as the Lord Lieutenant shall from Time to Time make in that Behalf, regulate and determine the Number and Description of Officers and Servants to be kept for the said House of Industry Hospitals, and the Salaries to be paid to them respectively, and may from Time to Time remove such Officers and Servants, and appoint others in their Stead, and may fill up or not, as in their Discretion they may think fit, Vacancies among such Officers and Servants.

As to Payment of Officers, &c.

VII. The Salaries to such Officers and Servants shall be paid out of any Monies applicable to the Expenses of the said House of Industry Hospitals.

Lord Lieutenant may alter Constitution of Board, &c.

VIII. The Lord Lieutenant may from Time to Time, by Order, alter the Constitution and limit and define the Powers of such Board of Governors, and may, by Order, delegate to the said Board of Governors, or to any Officer of the said House of Industry Hospitals, all or any of the Powers vested in the Lord Lieutenant in relation thereto.

Lord Lieutenant may, with Consent of Treasury, grant Superannuations to Officers, &c. of House of Industry Hospitals.

IX. In case any Officer or Servant of such House of Industry Hospitals or of the Lock Hospital in Dublin shall become, from confirmed Sickness, Age, or Infirmity, incapable of executing the Office in Person, it shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant, if he think fit so to do, with the Consent and Approval of the Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury, to grant to such Officer or Servant an Annuity by way of Superannuation to be paid and payable out of any Monies which shall be applicable for the Expenses of such House of Industry Hospitals and Lock Hospital respectively: Provided always, that the annual Amount paid by way of Superannuation to any such Officer or Servant shall not exceed the Proportions with reference to the Amount of Salary and the Period of Service which by the Act passed in the Fourth and Fifth Years of the Reign of King William the Fourth, Chapter Twenty-four, are directed to be observed.

Board of Public Works may order ordinary Repairs of House of Industry Hospitals and Westmoreland Lock Hospital.

X. The Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland may from Time to Time, subject to the Approval of the Lord Lieutenant, order all such ordinary Repairs as may be necessary for such House of Industry Hospitals, the Westmoreland Lock Hospital, and any Additions, Alterations, or Improvements to or in such Hospitals, or the Offices or Appurtenances thereto belonging, as may seem necessary or proper for the further or better Accommodation of the Patients who may be received therein; and the Expense of such Repairs, Additions, Alterations, and Improvements shall be paid and defrayed out of any Monies which shall be applicable for the Repairs or other ordinary Expenses of such Hospitals.

Power to appoint a Board of Superintendence of certain Hospitals in Dublin.

XI. It shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant to appoint any Number of Persons not exceeding Twelve to be a Board of Superintendence of all Hospitals in the City of Dublin which shall be supported in whole or in part by Monies appropriated by Parliament for such Purpose, and to remove any Person so appointed; and in case of such Removal, or in case of the Death or Resignation of any such Person, to appoint another Person to be a Member of such Board of Superintendence in his Stead.

Duties of the Board of Superintendence.

XII. The Board of Superintendence shall inquire concerning the due Performance of the Rules and Regulations required to be observed by any Act, Charter, Testamentary Bequest, or Byelaw existing at the passing of this Act under any other proper Authority in any Hospital in the City of Dublin supported wholly or in part by Monies appropriated by Parliament for such Purposes, and examine into the State and Repair of the Buildings, the Situation of the Patients therein, and the Government and Management thereof, and into the Conduct of all Persons holding any Office or Employment therein or relating thereto; and such Board of Superintendence are hereby authorized and empowered to examine any Officer or other Person relating to the Situation of the Patients in such Hospital, or to the Government and Management of such Hospital, and if it shall appear to the said Board that the Persons concerned in the Government or Management of any such Hospital, or any Person holding any Office or Employment therein or relating thereto, have been guilty of any Neglect or Non-observance of the Rules and Regulations to which they were respectively bound to conform, such Board of Superintendence shall make a Report respecting the same to the Lord Lieutenant.

Meetings of Board of Superintendence.

Quorum.

XIII. The several Persons appointed Members of such Board of Superintendence shall within One Month after their Appointment assemble at some convenient Place to be named in a Notice in Writing given by Two or more Members of the Board, or by the Secretary of the Board, to the several Members so appointed, such Notice to be given to each Member personally or left at his usual Place of Abode, or transmitted to him through the Post Office, Seven Days at least before the Time appointed for such Meeting, and the said Board may adjourn the said Meeting from Time to Time, and meet when and so often as they think necessary; and the said Board shall at their First Meeting after their Appointment elect One of their Members to be their Chairman, who shall preside at all Meetings at which he is present, and in case of the Absence of the Chairman from any Meeting, the Members of the Board then present shall elect One of such Members to be Chairman for the Meeting, who shall preside at the Meeting; and to constitute a Meeting of the Board there shall be present not less than Three Members thereof, except for Adjournment, which may be made by less than Three; and every Question shall be decided by a Majority of Votes (the Chairman, whether permanent or temporary, having a Vote), and in the event of an Equality of Votes on any Question, the Chairman for the Time being shall have an additional or Casting Vote.

Lord Lieutenant may appoint a Secretary to such Board.

XIV. It shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant to appoint a Secretary to the said Board of Superintendence at such Salary, not exceeding One hundred and fifty Pounds per Annum, as the Lord Lieutenant shall appoint, to be paid out of such Funds as Parliament shall from Time to Time provide towards the Maintenance of such Hospitals, and the Lord Lieutenant may remove such Secretary, and in such Case, or in case of the Death or Resignation of any such Secretary, may appoint another in his Stead.

When Secretary of Board of Superintendence to convene Meeting.

XV. The Secretary of the Board of Superintendence, whenever required in Writing by the Chairman or Two of the Members of such Board, and the Chairman of any such Board, may, whenever he shall see fit, convene a Meeting of such Board by a Notice in Writing to each Member of the Time and Place of such Meeting, such Notice to be delivered, left, or transmitted as aforesaid by such Secretary or Chairman Three Days at the least before the Time appointed for such Meeting.

Board of Superintendence to make General Rules for all Hospitals supported wholly or in part by Parliamentary Grants.

XVI. The Board of Superintendence shall from Time to Time prepare General Rules for the Government of all Hospitals supported wholly or in part by Monies appropriated by Parliament, provided that such General Rules shall not be inconsistent with the Acts, Charters, or Testamentary Bequests at present regulating such Hospitals respectively, and such Board shall also prepare General Rules for the Regulation of their own Duties and Proceedings, and for the Regulation and Performance of the Duties of the Secretary, and shall submit the General Rules so prepared by them to the Lord Lieutenant for his Approval; and such Rules, when approved by him, shall be printed and observed, and such Board shall have Power, with the like Approbation, to alter and vary such Rules from Time to Time as they think necessary.

If Board neglect to make Rules Lord Lieutenant to make Regulations.

XVII. In case the Board of Superintendence shall neglect to make such General Rules for the Space of Three Months after being required so to do by the Lord Lieutenant, it shall be lawful for the Lord Lieutenant, by Writing under the Hand of the Chief or Under Secretary for Ireland for the Time being, to make such General Rules, and from Time to Time to repeal, alter, or add to the same, and the said Rules shall be printed and observed as the General Rules for the Government of all such Hospitals.

Board of Superintendence to make an annual Report to Lord Lieutenant, which shall be laid before Parliament.

XVIII. The Board of Superintendence shall in every Year lay before the Lord Lieutenant a Report in Writing of the State and Condition of every Hospital in the City of Dublin supported in whole or in part by Monies appropriated by Parliament for such Purpose, and as to its Sufficiency for the Patients for whom it may be requisite to provide Accommodation, and as to the Management of such Hospital and the Conduct of the Officers and Servants thereof, and the Care of the Patients therein; and such Board may, in such Report, make such Remarks or Observations in relation to any Matters connected with such Hospital as they may think fit, and the Lord Lieutenant shall cause a Copy of such Report to be laid before both Houses of Parliament.