Equipment for Older or Disabled People and the Law

Part 1 Introduction and overview: introduction; main characteristics and themes of equipment provision; equipment for older people and disabled people - what is it for, who uses it and how one get it?; why know about the law?; what to do when things go wrong; what statutory services and their staff can and can't do. Part 2 Provision of equipment by statutory services - legislation, guidance and practice: NHS - provisions of equipment; social services departments - provision of equipment; nursing homes and residential homes - provision of equipment; housing authorities - provision of adaptations; education authorities and schools - provision of equipment and adaptations; employment service - provision of equipment and adaptations; war pensioners. Part 3 Equipment provision and legal action: carelessly providing equipment - negligence; unsafe and defective equipment - and lifting and handling people; buying equipment - quality and unfairness - the law of contract; challenging the decisions of statutory services - judicial review; breach of statutory duty - criminal and civil liability. Part 4 A-Z list of types of disability equipment - what there is and how it is provided: A-z list of equipment types.

This is a book that every manager should read and consider. It is essential for all occupational therapists who are involved in teaching manual handling to others. Back care advisers may be familiar with some of the cases, but this text provides a comprehensive summary of the case law on manual handling issues and should be at their right hand when drafting policies and procedures that comply with the regulations.