Manual Handling in Health and Social Care : An a-Z of Law and Practice

A practical understanding of the law is essential for all those involved in the manual handling of adults and children (as patients, clients or pupils), whether in 'hands-on', managing, commissioning or advisory roles. To this end, Manual Handling in Health and Social Care presents an accessible overview of manual handling legislation, legal case law, national guidance, policy and practice. Applicable primarily to England, Scotland and Wales, it covers both employee safety under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations and wider health and safety at work legislation, and also patient and client entitlement under community care, NHS and human rights legislation. A stand-alone overview of manual handling law and practice is followed by more in-depth material, in A-Z format and fully cross-referenced, which allows the reader to look up issues for quick access to further information. In particular, it contains an extensive collection of case law relevant to health and social care and digested in summary form. Topics include rehabilitation, risk assessment, care plans, equipment provision, documentation of decisions and cumulative strain injury. Addressing the tensions sometimes existing between the health and safety of employees, the needs and wishes of service users and limited resources, this book provides professionals, managers, front-line staff and legal advisers with an understanding of law as a useful and practical tool to assist in solutions to manual handling problems.