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The Whole Person Catalogue: The ultimate source book for the New Age seeker
719
book reviewsm Therapy Services Organisation, management and autonomy by John Ovrefveit. Harwood Academic Publishers, PO Box 90,Reading. Berkshire RGl 7JL, 1992 (ISBN 3 7186 5246 3).210 pages. f 14
Written for a range of therapy professions, this book recognises that the demand for therapists of all kinds far exceeds supply, and that the time is ripe for therapy managers to capitalise on the importance of organisation and management in making the most of scarce resources. The book is well laid out with chapters addressing the specific issues of models of organisation, strategic management, contracts and quality and grades of pay and career progression. The initial third of the book concentrates on historical information with a review of therapy service organisation from 1968-1990 and a reminder of the 1990 NHS reforms and how these have influenced the therapy professions. The chapter on models of organisation will not be new to those who have attended therapy management workshops a t Brunel University and introduces models of organisation with which we are now increasingly familiar; eight models are described - emphasising the point, it would seem, that there remains little conformity across directly managed units and/or Trusts in the decision to adopt a particular configuration for the therapy services' structure. Most physiotherapy managers will find the chapter on 'Strategic management' particularly useful, with its step-by-step approach for formulating a service strategy. Although there is some overlap with the requirements for writing a service specification, the author takes this process further with greater discussion on business analysis and market assessment. Similarly the chapter on 'Controls and quality' gives the reader a more detailed insight into the contract terminology combined with some straightforward guidance on how to prepare and negotiate a contract. Some of the recommended guide lines should currently be read 'with tongue in cheek' - eg figure 9:2 on page 118 rather oversimplifies the process of negotiating contracts between purchasers and providers - but clearly it would be an aspiration of all therapy managers to undertake and participate in meaningful service negotiations. This chapter encourages therapy managers to become involved and continues by discussing the phasing-in of quality methods to the contractual process. The appendices are most informative and contribute a further dimension to the book as a useful reference aide memoire and for further expansion on the data formats for formulating strategic service plans. The least clear areas of the book relate to John Ovretveit's definitions of
profession autonomy and practitioner autonomy and how these definitions relate to therapy practice; this section is probably confused further by the fact that the book is written for a range of therapy professions. all of whom would apply different interpretations to the wording within their own professional framework. This, however, should not detract from the book which is very readable throughout. The fact that the book was published in 1992 only emphasises the speed at which the NHS reforms are occurring, as some of the information and recommendations will already have been experienced and put into practice. Nevertheless I would recommend this book as a useful addition to the bookshelves of all therapy managers and as excellent background reading for those therapists who may wish to broaden their general knowledge both on the organisational and managerial complexities of therapy services and on the contracting process.
and evaluation, preventive concepts, education and training, and psychological aspects including compensation. There is a good bibliography following each chapter giving ideas for further reading and education. I recommend this book particularly for any professionals working in occupational health.
Kathy Tyler MCSP
The Whole Person Catalogue: The ultimate source book for the New Age seeker edited by Mike Considine. Brainwave, 33 Lorn Road, Stockwell, London S W 9 OAB, 1992 (ISBN 0 9513347 3 5). lllus. 248 pages. f14.95.
This book contains information about every therapy one could possibly imagine. Anne Walker MPhil MCSP It is divided into sections: personal development, alternative health, spiritual paths, metaphysical phenomena, life journey events, information resources and Occupational Low Back Pain: products, leisure and experimentation, Assessment, treatment and community, business, the business of therapy, and food. prevention It covers all ages from waterbirths to by Malcolm H Pope Dr Med Sc PhD, Gunnar B J Andersson MD PhD, John W Frymoyer MD DIY green funerals. To dip into it would be as fascinating as and Don B Chaffin PhD. Mosby Year Book lnc, St Louis, USA, 1992,UKEnglish distributor WoMe keeping a dictionary by the bed - each Publishing Ltd, Brook House, 2-16 Torrington therapy within each division has a n Place, London WClE 7LT (ISBN 0 8016 6252 4). explanation followed by sources and Illus. 325 pages. f49. one could learn a lot about things one This very informative book is of never even knew existed. There is a great mixture of old and new particular interest not just to occupational health physiotherapists but also to any ideas with a reading list, addresses for training and addresses for receiving physiotherapist treating lumbar pain. It covers a full spectrum of management, treatment - I do wonder how out of date including structure and function of the the latter will become. Some of the sections are slightly lumbar spine, biomechanics, the relationship of the workplace and its design confusing -for example in the section on homoeopathy there is no mention of doctors, only lay homoeopaths, and yet in a separate 'Useful Organisations' section it gives a n address for obtaining a list of GPs practising homoeopathy. 1 This would be a useful book for an holistic centre, public library, etc, or for someone wanting to set up a therapy room - from a flotation pool t o a sweat lodge - but I would think it would have a limited interest for the general public. Incidentally I could find no reference to physiotherapy but there is information on allied techniques, eg Alexander, massage, cranial osteopathy, reflexology and so on.
Deirdre Mackay MCSP
Correction More Everyday Aids and Appliances, by G Mulley
Improvements of workplace design. Line drawings from 'Occupational Low Back Pain: Assessment, treatment a n d prevention'
The review of this book published in the August issue of Physiotherapy was written by Joyce Cheney MCSP and not as indicated. We apologise to the reviewer for this error.
Physiotherapy,September 1992, vol78, no 9
book reviewsm Therapy Services Organisation, management and autonomy by John Ovrefveit. Harwood Academic Publishers, PO Box 90,Reading. Berkshire RGl 7JL, 1992 (ISBN 3 7186 5246 3).210 pages. f 14
Written for a range of therapy professions, this book recognises that the demand for therapists of all kinds far exceeds supply, and that the time is ripe for therapy managers to capitalise on the importance of organisation and management in making the most of scarce resources. The book is well laid out with chapters addressing the specific issues of models of organisation, strategic management, contracts and quality and grades of pay and career progression. The initial third of the book concentrates on historical information with a review of therapy service organisation from 1968-1990 and a reminder of the 1990 NHS reforms and how these have influenced the therapy professions. The chapter on models of organisation will not be new to those who have attended therapy management workshops a t Brunel University and introduces models of organisation with which we are now increasingly familiar; eight models are described - emphasising the point, it would seem, that there remains little conformity across directly managed units and/or Trusts in the decision to adopt a particular configuration for the therapy services' structure. Most physiotherapy managers will find the chapter on 'Strategic management' particularly useful, with its step-by-step approach for formulating a service strategy. Although there is some overlap with the requirements for writing a service specification, the author takes this process further with greater discussion on business analysis and market assessment. Similarly the chapter on 'Controls and quality' gives the reader a more detailed insight into the contract terminology combined with some straightforward guidance on how to prepare and negotiate a contract. Some of the recommended guide lines should currently be read 'with tongue in cheek' - eg figure 9:2 on page 118 rather oversimplifies the process of negotiating contracts between purchasers and providers - but clearly it would be an aspiration of all therapy managers to undertake and participate in meaningful service negotiations. This chapter encourages therapy managers to become involved and continues by discussing the phasing-in of quality methods to the contractual process. The appendices are most informative and contribute a further dimension to the book as a useful reference aide memoire and for further expansion on the data formats for formulating strategic service plans. The least clear areas of the book relate to John Ovretveit's definitions of
profession autonomy and practitioner autonomy and how these definitions relate to therapy practice; this section is probably confused further by the fact that the book is written for a range of therapy professions. all of whom would apply different interpretations to the wording within their own professional framework. This, however, should not detract from the book which is very readable throughout. The fact that the book was published in 1992 only emphasises the speed at which the NHS reforms are occurring, as some of the information and recommendations will already have been experienced and put into practice. Nevertheless I would recommend this book as a useful addition to the bookshelves of all therapy managers and as excellent background reading for those therapists who may wish to broaden their general knowledge both on the organisational and managerial complexities of therapy services and on the contracting process.
and evaluation, preventive concepts, education and training, and psychological aspects including compensation. There is a good bibliography following each chapter giving ideas for further reading and education. I recommend this book particularly for any professionals working in occupational health.
Kathy Tyler MCSP
The Whole Person Catalogue: The ultimate source book for the New Age seeker edited by Mike Considine. Brainwave, 33 Lorn Road, Stockwell, London S W 9 OAB, 1992 (ISBN 0 9513347 3 5). lllus. 248 pages. f14.95.
This book contains information about every therapy one could possibly imagine. Anne Walker MPhil MCSP It is divided into sections: personal development, alternative health, spiritual paths, metaphysical phenomena, life journey events, information resources and Occupational Low Back Pain: products, leisure and experimentation, Assessment, treatment and community, business, the business of therapy, and food. prevention It covers all ages from waterbirths to by Malcolm H Pope Dr Med Sc PhD, Gunnar B J Andersson MD PhD, John W Frymoyer MD DIY green funerals. To dip into it would be as fascinating as and Don B Chaffin PhD. Mosby Year Book lnc, St Louis, USA, 1992,UKEnglish distributor WoMe keeping a dictionary by the bed - each Publishing Ltd, Brook House, 2-16 Torrington therapy within each division has a n Place, London WClE 7LT (ISBN 0 8016 6252 4). explanation followed by sources and Illus. 325 pages. f49. one could learn a lot about things one This very informative book is of never even knew existed. There is a great mixture of old and new particular interest not just to occupational health physiotherapists but also to any ideas with a reading list, addresses for training and addresses for receiving physiotherapist treating lumbar pain. It covers a full spectrum of management, treatment - I do wonder how out of date including structure and function of the the latter will become. Some of the sections are slightly lumbar spine, biomechanics, the relationship of the workplace and its design confusing -for example in the section on homoeopathy there is no mention of doctors, only lay homoeopaths, and yet in a separate 'Useful Organisations' section it gives a n address for obtaining a list of GPs practising homoeopathy. 1 This would be a useful book for an holistic centre, public library, etc, or for someone wanting to set up a therapy room - from a flotation pool t o a sweat lodge - but I would think it would have a limited interest for the general public. Incidentally I could find no reference to physiotherapy but there is information on allied techniques, eg Alexander, massage, cranial osteopathy, reflexology and so on.
Deirdre Mackay MCSP
Correction More Everyday Aids and Appliances, by G Mulley
Improvements of workplace design. Line drawings from 'Occupational Low Back Pain: Assessment, treatment a n d prevention'
The review of this book published in the August issue of Physiotherapy was written by Joyce Cheney MCSP and not as indicated. We apologise to the reviewer for this error.
Physiotherapy,September 1992, vol78, no 9