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Manual Handling in the Health Service
Book reviews
Manual Handling in the Health Service Health and Safety Commission and Health Services Advisory Committee. Available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk COlO 6FS ............................................................................................................................... 1998,2nd edn (ISBN 10 7176 1248 1). Illus. 64 pages ...............................................................................................................................
Working party: Sue Chivers, Phil Gifford, Sarah Copsey, Brian Gibbs, Rosemary Rodgers, Sue Ruszala, Claire Sullivan, Frank Ursell f9.75 To quote: ‘This is guidance prepared, in consultation with the HSE, by the Health Services Advisory Committee. . . . The guidance represents what is considered to be good practice by the members of the committee . . , Following this guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow this guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good practice.’ This updates, expands on and replaces Guidance on the Manual Handling of Loads in the Health Services. It is aimed at senior management who set the policies, line managers who are responsible for implementing the policies, and others such as back care advisers, trainers, occupational health staff, risk managers and health and safety advisers - in fact anyone directly responsible for, or advising on, employees’ health and safety and also that of patients, contractors and agency staff. It states that it is relevant for the whole of the healthcare sector - hospitals, health centres, nursing homes, general practices, ambulance services and the community. Chapter headings are rather predictably the extent of the problem; the value of safer manual handling; the law; health and safety management; risk assessment; reducing risks; training; special situations; monitoring; and health surveillance and rehabilitation for staff. Apart from a useful reference list
103
and useful addresses section, the appendices include the MHC Regulations flowchart; a management checklist which is much clearer than the previous edition; updated sources of advice on postural stress, with mention of some analysis tools that can be easily applied by a physiotherapist; and as before a list of Disabled Living Centres. Is it worth replacing your old edition? Yes! It has been expanded - from 28 pages, and although some of this is due to slightly larger print and a different layout there are many more explicit diagrams of problems and their solutions, and 21 different case studies (where previously there were four) reinforcing points made. This time it is quite clear when the diagrams are illustrating good or bad points. There is a new section on training and information for patients. This could possibly have been expanded to include something about patient information leaflets on or before admission regarding the fact that patients will be expected to move themselves within their capabilities, and if this is not possible the fact that they may be moved using equipment or mechanically. Special situations briefly covered are ambulance personnel, caring for people in their homes, mobile blood transfusion services, maternity units, maintaining mobility and rehabilitation of patients, working with babies and small children, and heavy patients. The small section on mobility and rehabilitation is of particular interest to us as physiotherapists where physical handling is included as part of treatment, and staff may work at higher risk as part of a specific care or treatment process. In such a situation risk assessment is essential to ensure risks to staff and carers are minimised. Techniques used should complement the use of equipment, not be used instead of equipment. A copy should be in all departments where staff handle patients and loads, and I would expect to find individual copies with back care advisers, occupational health, risk and health and safety managers, and relevant trainers.
Joan C Gabbett GradDipPhys MCSP ONC
Encouraging patients to help themselves: Staff need enough time to explain the procedure and to allow patients to move at their own pace. Patients may need information and training in the use of equipment
Physiotherapy February 1999/vol85/no 2
Manual Handling in the Health Service Health and Safety Commission and Health Services Advisory Committee. Available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk COlO 6FS ............................................................................................................................... 1998,2nd edn (ISBN 10 7176 1248 1). Illus. 64 pages ...............................................................................................................................
Working party: Sue Chivers, Phil Gifford, Sarah Copsey, Brian Gibbs, Rosemary Rodgers, Sue Ruszala, Claire Sullivan, Frank Ursell f9.75 To quote: ‘This is guidance prepared, in consultation with the HSE, by the Health Services Advisory Committee. . . . The guidance represents what is considered to be good practice by the members of the committee . . , Following this guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action. But if you do follow this guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law. Health and safety inspectors seek to secure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good practice.’ This updates, expands on and replaces Guidance on the Manual Handling of Loads in the Health Services. It is aimed at senior management who set the policies, line managers who are responsible for implementing the policies, and others such as back care advisers, trainers, occupational health staff, risk managers and health and safety advisers - in fact anyone directly responsible for, or advising on, employees’ health and safety and also that of patients, contractors and agency staff. It states that it is relevant for the whole of the healthcare sector - hospitals, health centres, nursing homes, general practices, ambulance services and the community. Chapter headings are rather predictably the extent of the problem; the value of safer manual handling; the law; health and safety management; risk assessment; reducing risks; training; special situations; monitoring; and health surveillance and rehabilitation for staff. Apart from a useful reference list
103
and useful addresses section, the appendices include the MHC Regulations flowchart; a management checklist which is much clearer than the previous edition; updated sources of advice on postural stress, with mention of some analysis tools that can be easily applied by a physiotherapist; and as before a list of Disabled Living Centres. Is it worth replacing your old edition? Yes! It has been expanded - from 28 pages, and although some of this is due to slightly larger print and a different layout there are many more explicit diagrams of problems and their solutions, and 21 different case studies (where previously there were four) reinforcing points made. This time it is quite clear when the diagrams are illustrating good or bad points. There is a new section on training and information for patients. This could possibly have been expanded to include something about patient information leaflets on or before admission regarding the fact that patients will be expected to move themselves within their capabilities, and if this is not possible the fact that they may be moved using equipment or mechanically. Special situations briefly covered are ambulance personnel, caring for people in their homes, mobile blood transfusion services, maternity units, maintaining mobility and rehabilitation of patients, working with babies and small children, and heavy patients. The small section on mobility and rehabilitation is of particular interest to us as physiotherapists where physical handling is included as part of treatment, and staff may work at higher risk as part of a specific care or treatment process. In such a situation risk assessment is essential to ensure risks to staff and carers are minimised. Techniques used should complement the use of equipment, not be used instead of equipment. A copy should be in all departments where staff handle patients and loads, and I would expect to find individual copies with back care advisers, occupational health, risk and health and safety managers, and relevant trainers.
Joan C Gabbett GradDipPhys MCSP ONC
Encouraging patients to help themselves: Staff need enough time to explain the procedure and to allow patients to move at their own pace. Patients may need information and training in the use of equipment
Physiotherapy February 1999/vol85/no 2