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Work injury compensation
08/05/2008
UNISON call for better training after claim paid
Legal action taken by a healthcare assistant who suffered a back injury while lifting a patient has resulted in undisclosed sum of work injury compensation being issued in an out-of-court settlement.
The Suffolk-based woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, sustained the injury while trying to change a patient's clothes. Although she was assisted by another worker, and using a handling belt, trade union UNISON believe that with the correct training the both the accident and the need for a payout of work injury compensation would have been avoided.
While speaking on the case, a UNISON spokesperson commented on some of the wider issues raised, saying, "Although very rewarding, care working is a difficult job at the best of times but it is made even harder when the health trusts fail to train staff properly. "Sadly our member had to give up a job she loved and will need every penny of her compensation. "Better training is the key to reducing back injuries which are far too common in the NHS. "The latest staff survey reported that 12 per cent of NHS staff had been injured in the past year because of moving and handling patients. "Trusts cannot afford to lose good staff and they must ensure they get the training needed to do the job safely."
The claimant shares UNISON's belief, telling press, "My injury could easily have been avoided if I'd had proper training. "Looking back, we shouldn't have attempted the task without a third person present to adjust the patient's clothing."
The personal injury lawyer who represented the work injury compensation claim echoed these views, "This case is yet another example of the lack of training given by health trusts to health care assistants in how to use a handling belt. "If they were trained properly in accordance with patient handling techniques and manuals, accidents like this would be minimised."
