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Posted By lorraine turnbull
hi
im a carer in the community, have been working with a particular client with secondary progressive ms (wheelchair bound)legs have little use now, i was using a piece of equipment called a "standmate" and is designed to enable me to transfer her safely. my problem is.... i have had no training on this, and used it for 10 months it is like a sack barrow with a turntable underneath to be able to turn it i would hold both sides while the client would pull herself into a standing position then i would turn her and she could then sit down. but as her ms is progressive it has become harder for her to get standing and could take 3, 4, 5 or even 6 times before she would get up, all this was pulling on both my wrists i would visit her between 2 and 4 times a day using this standmate twice am visit, once for lunch vist, twice tea visit and twice night visit, each time she could be pulling on my wrists sevral times in a day. i then had a really horrid pain in both wrists while she was using the standmate and i was off work for 5 months i am trying to sue my employer now and could really do with some advise
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Posted By Heather Collins
Sorry to hear of your problem Lorraine.
However this is not the place to ask for advice on sueing your employer. May I suggest that you either approach your TU (if you are in a Union) for advice or try a local firm of solicitors - there are usually some who specialise in the no-win, no-fee kind of work who will give you a half hour free to determine whether you have a case or not. Ask at Citizens' Advice Bureau if you aren't sure which solicitor to go to and they will probably be able to point you in the right direction.
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Posted By lorraine turnbull
so dont you think there is a h&s issue here? my ex employer did not have an accident book in the clients home and also did not report this to RIDDOR
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Posted By Paul Leadbetter
Lorraine
There is obviously an H & S issue but, if you are considering suing, you should be talking to a solicitor.
Paul
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Posted By garyh
I think that this is a H&S issue.
I believe that most solicitors give the first consultation for free.
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Posted By Saracen11
Hi Lorraine, who assessed this person in the first place and recommended this piece of equipment? Was it a District Nurse, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapsit or other? What does the Risk Assessment say? (if one has been completed) A client with secondary progressive MS would need regular care reviews and revision of the Risk Assessments to ensure the level of care and support is reflective of the patients needs.
My understanding of the condition and equipment you’ve described is that they are incompatible. A person that has a medical condition which means they could release their grip of the hold bars at any time (without warning) places them at a significant risk of injury and therefore are not physically able to use it.
Your employer has the ultimate responsibility to ensure your health, safety and welfare and the provision of suitable information, instruction and training but you also have responsibility to use equipment provided for H&S correctly. You say the client pulled down on your wrists… why? Any/every stand-aid has an area for the patient to hold and pull themselves up and an area for the carer to hold to counter-balance the item. If the client pulled down on your wrists, she could just have easy have pulled down on the handles provided?
If this person needs the level of support you describe i.e. the frequency of daily visits and attempts by the individual to mobilise, then the initial assessment for the level of care (one carer visiting so regular) and support is obviously inaccurate and should have been addressed much sooner.
Your situation saddens me as a thorough assessment of support and care needs together with appropriate equipment and training could have prevented your injuries.
I hope you recover from your injuries and continue to provide care to the people that deserve your time.
Regards
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Posted By lorraine turnbull
thank you all i thought i was going mad lol
the client in question had an inital assessment after coming out of restpite that is when the company i worked for took over, i started going to her after a couple of weeks with the said company but then this piece of equipment came in put there by the ot but was for excercise purposes (i was not aware of this at the time) then the client "showed me how to use it " which was not the correct way form what i have found out since she would have it quite far back and would stretch as far as possible before pulling on it to get up, thats when it would pull on my wrists as i would hold the other side so it did'nt tip foward as the client has got worse over the course of 10 months so it would take more attempts for her to get up, from my understanding there was no reveiws is this clients home, and on the time sheets that i got it says that she uses this equipment, i did tell my employer that this hurt my wrists but she still sent me there 4 times a day (i was covering for 2 weeks when this happened to me) i still suffer even now with wrist pain neck and back pain, but i love my job and am with another company now where my safty is paramount and h&s is complied with at every level, although i cant work as much as i was i feel i am doing my best
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Posted By Saracen11
Lorraine, I wish you the very best in the future.
Keep up your good work.
Regards
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