Politics
An ‘Uncomfortable and Distressing’ Environment
Annette Baker, formerly the head of Ramsey Grammar School, has resigned from the HSCC saying she has found the role ‘increasingly impossible’.
A departing member of the Health Services Consultative Committee has accused Health Minister Lawrie Hooper of creating a ‘toxic and adversarial atmosphere’.
Annette Baker, formerly the head of Ramsey Grammar School, has resigned from the HSCC saying she has found the role ‘increasingly impossible’.
Mrs Baker submitted her resignation at the end of December, saying it had been a ‘privilege to serve on this committee alongside dedicated professionals many of whom, like me, joined with the hope and expectation of using their many years of public service experience to make a positive contribution to the improvement of the island’s health services’.
Annette Baker, former head teacher at Ramsey Grammar School (pic IOM Today)
However, she added: ‘Over the past 12 months especially, however, I have found it increasingly impossible to work within the toxic and adversarial atmosphere created in my view by the current Minister for Health and Social Care, an atmosphere which has prevailed especially since he and his Department member took issue with our committee’s annual report and reacted in an entirely inappropriate way at the feedback meeting in June.
‘I await with interest the (due in mid-January 2024) outcome of the investigation initiated by the Chief Minister into the complaint into bullying submitted following that meeting, where members were subjected to a “rant” (the Minister’s own word) from the Minister, as well as being shouted at by his department member colleague.’
Mrs Baker said that the politicians were ‘particularly scathing of my own observations in the report about the policy and legislation scrutiny area, despite me having completed this using all information available to me as a lay committee member, and having checked my final recommendation with officers of government including the DHSC prior to the report’s publication’.
She said that this left her feeling like her opinion ‘wasn’t allowed’.
Mrs Baker said: ‘It does not bode well for the future of the health service on the island if the person in the position of political leadership is unable to accept well-intentioned and carefully curated constructive feedback from a publicly appointed committee.
‘Worse than that, it is a matter of serious concern for everyone who lives on this island or is thinking of relocating here that a government Minister chooses to use his position of power to amend regulations anchored in primary legislation without due consideration or consultation as a knee jerk reaction to perceived criticism, and even more sinister than that seeks to discredit and abuse the independent people who dare to challenge him across the media – and even in Tynwald court itself in October 2023.
‘All of this whilst knowing that HSCC members were unable to respond publicly as serving government committee members to defend ourselves.’
She added that it ‘has been uncomfortable and distressing to volunteer in such a toxic environment’ and that she was not willing to allow it to impact further on her health in her retirement.
Mrs Baker ended her resignation letter by saying: ‘I must emphasise that my comments in no way apply to the many dedicated officers I have worked with in that Department, and indeed within Manx Care during my time of service on the HSCC. It has been a privilege to work with them, I sincerely hope that they are in future given the kind of inspirational and transformative political leadership that they so richly deserve.’
Gef contacted the DHSC and Mr Hooper for a response on Tuesday morning, but at the time of publication have not received a statement.
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