Abstract

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.

Michael Mandelstam's style of writing and presentation is as clear as his popular seminars, which makes this a hard book to put down once started. Manual handling risk assessments and the needs of clients or patients have been bought together in a way that acknowledges the law and human rights. This book describes the interaction between the law and people in a very lively and educating presentation, which is well worth being read by senior practitioners and managers.
British Journal of Occupational Therapy
This book provides information on manual handling law for staff and their managers working in health and social care fields. It is also aimed at students and people with disabilities. It sets out the law as determined by legal cases, which are listed by occupation of claimant and by type of case. Summaries of the main issues are included, together with an overview, and full detail of all the cases. Topics covered include employee safety under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations, wider health and safety at work legislation, and patient and client entitlements under community care, NHS and human rights legislation.
Working with Older People
The book is well written and designed and surprisingly enjoyable, considering the dry subject matter. All users would be well advised to read the five-page introduction in order to understand the layout and optimise the wealth of knowledge contained in the book. It is very up to date, containing references applying to England, Wales and Scotland... This book is easy to handle and read; we would recommend every department and library to have a copy for reference; manual handling trainers would be advised to buy their own copies.
Physiotherapy Journal
Michael Mandelstam Msc, holds postgraduate qualifications in law, information studies and history of science and medicine. He worked over a period of ten years at the Disabled Living Foundation, a national voluntary organisation, before moving to the Social Services Inspectorate at the Department of Health. Now working independently as a trainer, researcher, consultant and occasional lecturer, he has published various articles and books, including Equipment for Older or Disabled People and the Law and An A-Z of Community Care Law.
This substantial resource is aimed at those who commission, manage, or carry out manual handling tasks with adults or children. It lays out the current legal requirements in a non-technical way, and includes a variety of well laid-out accounts of good practice regarding policy, management and everyday work with clients. This section is followed by an A-Z guide to relevant background information, such as legal cases and the statutory duties of different health and social care professionals. Although it is not designed overtly as a training pack, trainers could easily use it, and professionals will find that it is an accessible guide.
Care and Health