Roadshow cancelled: ‘impartiality concern’

THE Patient and Client Council cancelled a public roadshow in Londonderry yesterday after the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) boss wrote to the health watchdog saying public bodies needed to take action to ensure no circumstances arise compromising impartiality in the run up to the election on May 5.

The Council was due to host the public event in the Millennium Forum yesterday. A number of similar events were due to be held across Northern Ireland during February and March.

But a spokeswoman for the Council advised the Sentinel on Monday that: “On Friday 18th February 2011, the Patient and Client Council received a circular from the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service which gave ‘Election Guidance for Northern Ireland Civil Servants.’ This guidance applies to all public bodies including the Patient and Client Council and states that:

“The formal election period will run from the dissolution of the Assembly from 25th March to the election on 5th May and normal departmental and Ministerial business will continue up to that time. The guidance should, however, be drawn upon with immediate effect where any circumstances arise before then which appear likely to compromise the key principles of impartiality. Given this guidance, the Patient and Client Council is postponing the road shows until after the Assembly elections.”