Series 10.1 - Joint Hospital/University Relations Committee minutes

A joint Hospital Relations Committee was formed on December 1, 1910, as a result of an agreement between the Trustees of the TGH and the Governors of the University of Toronto (Schedule 1 of The Toronto General Hospital Act, 1911) whereby the Hospital became a site for the clinical instruction of the University medical students. The Committee has alternately been called the Joint Hospital Relations Committee or the Joint Committee on Hospital Relations, and by 1981 it was referred to as the Joint Hospital/University Relations Committee.

The Committee was given the responsibility of supervising medical staff appointments.

<blockquote>The rights of the University as to clinical instruction were defined by a special Act, and a Joint Relations Committee arranged to make all appointments, which were for one year. A Head of Service, in the University, becomes ex-officio head of a Service in the Hospital (Clarke 126).</blockquote>

Thus, for example, the head of the University Department of Medicine was cross-appointed as TGH Physician-in-Chief. Prior to the establishment of this Committee, the responsibility of staff appointments had rested with the Hospital’s Board of Trustees.

The Committee was to consist of 8 members: 4 appointed by the Board of Trustees of the Toronto General Hospital and 4 appointed by the Board of Governors of the University of Toronto. The first members were Joseph Flavelle, P.C. Larkin, D.A. Wilkie and Alderman McCarthy (appointed by the hospital), and the Chancellor, Sir William Meredith, President Robert Falconer, Sir Charles Moss and the Rev. Dr. D. Bruce MacDonald (appointed by the University). Meeting minutes indicate that the Superintendent and Secretary of TGH were also present at meetings, though this was not stipulated by the Act. There were at least 3 meetings a year. By the 1920s meetings were less frequent with one meeting per year.

In addition to nominations for appointments to the medical staff of TGH, by the 1950s the Committee also discussed matters relating to the Pension Plan of the University, amendments to by-laws regarding retirement of staff, and staff retirements and resignations. Over time, Committee meetings included discussion of other Hospital/University agreements, progress reports on matters of relevance such as hospital mergers, establishment of endowed chairs, and education development plans. By the 1980s meetings also included discussions regarding the states of other Health Sciences Disciplines such as Social Work and Nursing.

Sir Charles Moss (1911), R.A. Falconer (1912-1919 and 1920-1921)), Sir Joseph Flavelle (1919-1920), C.S. Blackwell (1922-1932), Mark H. Irish (1933-1935), E.C. Fox (1936-1945), Norman C. Urquahart (1946-1966), W.M.V. Ash (1967-1971), Dr. D.A. McIntosh (1972-1974), T.J. Bell (1975 and 1981), Dr. J.D. Hamilton (1976), A. Powis (1977, 1983, 1985 and Dec. 1989), Dr. E. Kingstone (1978 and 1982), C.H. Hollenberg (1986, 1988 and March 1989), and P. Crossgrove (1987) served as Chairs of the Joint Hospital Relations Committee. After 1975 each annual meeting had a different Chair.