Book Review: Keep fit for life. Meeting the nutritional needs of older persons

Managing risk in healthcare, law and practice Edited by Vanessa L Mayatt. Published by Butterworths Tolley, 2002. Paperback 288 pp. Price £59.99 ISBN 0-40694-703-1 Risk assessment and subsequent management were relatively slow to be taken up, as an invaluable tool, within a health care scenario, in comparison to other organisations. The aviation industry is most often quoted in this situation, perhaps because anyone who has ever flown anywhere has reason to be grateful for the risk management techniques employed by the various airlines. The chapter on managing risk, in this book, is a useful one, both for those new to the concept of risk management and those well versed in its practice. It highlights the way risk management can work within a statutory framework, to move away from the culture of blame, which previously operated within the National Health Service. Risk management would serve to remove the negative impact of blame and look at how any given risk can be altered to introduce security and quality of care to the patient and the health professional. Examples of risk discussed are anaesthetic equipment, when damage or death may occur to a patient, if the equipment fails in any way, and unmarked syringes in an anaesthetic room which may result in the wrong drug being given. The handling of clinical waste and exposure to blood and other body fluids may expose the person involved to infection. The chapter on clinical governance is also useful, of which risk management is an integral part. It considers risk modification, corporate governance, best practice and appropriate quality of care. This is also addressed by looking at lifelong learning for health professionals, professional self-regulation and clinical audit. There is very useful referencing covering various government websites, allowing the reader to download relevant papers making this book useful to anyone involved in health care management, clinical or otherwise, and those with a particular interest in medical law. Sandra Barry Practice Nurse/Midwife