GP06
QUEENSWAYCARLETONHOSPITAL
GOVERNANCE POLICIES
Approved: June 07
POLICY TYPE:GOVERNANCE PROCESS
POLICY TITLE: ACCESS TO MEETINGS – PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Meetings of the Corporation
Meetings of the QueenswayCarleton Hospital Corporation are open to the public.
Meetings of the Board of Directors
In the interest of open communication and community linkages, meetings of the Board of Directors are open to the public. Meetings or any part thereof may be held ‘in camera’* at the discretion of the Chair when an issue is judged to be of a confidential nature. Examples of such issues are matters dealing with personnel, labour relations, litigation, contracts under negotiation and security. Discussions held ‘in camera’ do not form part of the public record.
A member of the public wishing to make a presentation to the Board of Directors must inform the Secretary of the Board at least 10 days in advance of the meeting, explaining the nature of the request. The Secretary, in consultation with the Board Chair, will determine the appropriateness of the request and whether a presentation should be tabled on the next or a future agenda of the Board. Members of the public will be requested to provide their full name and telephone number when presenting issues at the Board meetings.
Tabled presentation will be scheduled immediately prior to the Board’s business meeting and will be limited to a maximum of five minutes, in general, to facilitate broad public input. The Board will acknowledge the presentations but, for efficiency purposes, may not respond to presentations or questions at the meetings.
The Board agenda and approved Board minutes will be made available upon request. Documentation going to the Board from various subcommittees is not available.
All persons in attendance will maintain proper decorum at all times. Any unapproved intervention of the public or media during the course of the Board meeting is not permitted. The Board Chair will, at his or her discretion, ask any member of the public to leave if proper conduct is not maintained.
Meetings of Committees of the Board:
All recommendations of Board Committees are brought before the Board for full discussion and action by the Board. Therefore, it is deemed unnecessary to open committee meetings, although from time to time the public, staff and/or interested parties may be invited to attend with the concurrence of the chair of the committee.
* ‘In camera’ applies to voting members of the Board and such other persons designated by the Chair as being pertinent to the discussion at hand.
MONITORING:
Method: Internal Report – Board Evaluation
Frequency: Annual
Date: May