Abstract
Word has spread about a significant manual handling legal case in East Sussex, yet many occupational therapists appear to remain unclear about the facts and their ramifications. Principally, it centres on how disabled people's needs, rights and wishes should be balanced with employee safety in the context of community care. In the author's opinion, the judgment is important, thoughtful and complex. It addresses questions typically asked by those working in the manual handling field and is likely to be welcomed by many occupational therapists. It has the potential, in principle, to help in achieving a better quality of decision making. At the same time, the practical problems standing in the way of better decisions and services relating to manual handling should not be underestimated.
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