Hi Andrew
This raises many questions rather than inciting an answer...the first of
which is on whose behalf are you asking and what is your position in the
Trust? Both of these are perhaps pertinent before opinions are given.
Best wishes
Sue Smith
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Tindall [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 18, 2001 10:31 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Back Assessments
>
> Dear all,
>
> I would value your opinions on a matter on my NHS Trust:
>
> The Trusts' occ health department run a back care course where they invite
>
> anyone who has suffered any back problem to attend. It runs for two
> hours a
> week over seven weeks. At the course, people discuss problems they are
> having and/or have had, there is an educational element, anatomy
> demonstartions., videos and exercises.
>
> One delegate on the course with a history of LBP was 6ft 3inches tall and
> was
> not even allowed to sit on the normal chairs by the occ health nurses
> running
> the course - they said he was too tall - they got a special chair for him
> to
> sit on in these meetings. All the (gentle) exercises where given with
> the
> continuous overiding command to 'go slowly, don't push it, stop if you are
> in
> pain.' They were told pain was a sign of something wrong. All well and
> good.
>
> The trouble is that the aforementioned 6 footer asked the team to assess
> his
> working environment both in a clinic and in a home visit situation. He
> had
> been told by a ex physio occ health team member that someone of his height
>
> should not be doing home visits whether or not he has had any history of
> problems.
>
> One nurse came to the clinic and part of the report was that he should not
>
> even bend to the lowest drawer on the filing cabinet!
>
> On the home visit assessment, the nurse said she saw all the problems with
>
> slouching, stooping, bending, and kneeling (he also has had knee
> problems),
> but 'didn't know what she could suggest about it'. The report on this
> has
> not gone to the individuals manager and it has been a month plus since the
>
> assessment, and he is still expected to do the home visits
>
> Now here is the crunch question: given that the team make such a fuss
> (rightly so) about sitting right, not bending, stooping, kneeling,
> avoiding
> pain etc, and they can see the problems that the individual has, and
> cannot
> offer any help, shouldn't they simply say that he should not be doing home
>
> visits?
>
> Also, would the occ helth team be liable if anything were to go wrong,
> given
> that they have admitted the problems, and have no answers?
>
> I would appreciate your comments
>
> many thanks
>
> Andrew Tindall
>
>
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