The Western Health Board took a small but significant step towards throwing off its "dictatorial" image last week. Several months after the bitter nurses' strike, it has established local partnership committees in two counties, aimed at improving management/employer relations.
The committees have been set up at Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar and at the Community Services in Roscommon. The initiative is known as "Round Table" and the board describes it as its response to Partnership 2000, which commits Government, management and unions in both public and private sectors to explore areas where management and unions can collaborate rather than continue in the traditional adversarial roles.
Describing it as a "journey, rather than a destination", the health board's chief executive, Dr Sheelah Ryan, says it represents a culture change aimed at creating a new and different type of relationship in the workplace.
Taking on a partnership requires both "courage and stamina", she says, and the success of the approach may only be seen after a period of time.
"In the meantime, as industrial relations issues arise, they may reflect badly on all of us", she acknowledges. "Partnership itself may be accused of failure. We have to remain upbeat and reaffirm that our commitment is for the longer haul."