The Impact of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 on the Use of Hoists in the Home: The Patient's Perspective

This article describes a qualitative study which aimed to explore the implications of the implementation of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHOR) 1992 for the patient. Ten participants, where the use of a hoist was indicated in view of the MHOR 1992, were interviewed individually in their own homes. Through this method, those aspects influencing acceptance or rejection of the use of a hoist were established and the meanings of the experiences for those individuals were clarified. The results of the study have implications for practice. For some participants, the use of a hoist involved physical, social and psychological levels of response. To implement MHOR 1992 successfully, these issues must be acknowledged and addressed.