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his book may be useful in a physiotherapyepartment to recommend to patients who areeluctant to pursue any form of clinic or hospi-al treatment, and who are keen to have a moren-depth understanding of lymphoedema and its

anagement. However, the particular emphasisn patient self-management in each section ofhis book may, to some extent, undervalue the rolef the specialist clinician in the management ofymphoedema.

Jill LorimerE-mail address:

jill.lorimer@belfasttrust.hscni.net

oi:10.1016/j.physio.2008.05.006

he Stroke Book, M.T. Torbey, M.H. SelimEds.) Cambridge University Press, 2007, 330ages, £25.99, ISBN 978-0-521-67160-6

The focus of this book is to provide informa-ion related to acute, critically ill stroke diagnosisnd management. Designed as a reference text forrofessionals, it is primarily intended for medi-al staff, and presents information about medicalanagement and diagnostic testing. It is suc-

essful in providing detailed information in aoncise form. The editors are American and con-equently some of the procedures, particularlyn the initial stages of stroke management, doot translate directly to UK work practices. Forhysiotherapists, it would potentially be appro-riate as a reference text within an acute strokeard. However, possibly as a result of multi-le authorship, the text alternates between basicnformation and in-depth, highly detailed techni-al information.

The chapters are organized logically andover the assessment of acute stroke througho stroke prevention. The book focuses on

edical diagnosis and management, primarilyn the first 24 hours. There is only one spe-ific reference to physiotherapy, and limitednformation on the importance of early reha-ilitation. The authors present useful tables,iagrams and diagnostic images. The text isell supported by current literature, with a

eference list provided at the end of every chap-er.

This book might be best purchased as aultidisciplinary resource for those working in

cute stroke, intensive care and high depen-ency units. Those new to the field may findhe chapters linking signs and symptoms tohe site of the cerebrovascular accident useful,hereas senior clinicians may value the levelf detail, particularly in increasing their aware-ess and understanding of methods of diagnosticesting. The book is a high-quality A5 paper-ack, although it may seem a little expensive at25.99.

Sarah DunbarE-mail address: S.Dunbar@salford.ac.uk

oi:10.1016/j.physio.2008.05.010

Book reviews

Key Topics in Healthcare Management:Understanding the Big Picture, R. Jones, F.Jenkins (Eds.), Radcliffe Publishing, 2007, 262pages, £27.95, ISBN 978-1-857-75708-8

The publication of a book as part of a serieson management for allied health professionals(AHPs) is a positive move. Although primarilyaimed at AHPs, many of the chapters are genericand so could be useful to any healthcare worker.However, some chapters fail to address the spe-cific issues faced by AHPs; for instance, Chapter4 is largely theoretical with limited application,and the discussion on the regulation of doctors inChapter 1 is three times the length of that of non-medical healthcare professions. However, otherchapters are strongly supported by case studies(Chapters 2 and 11) and relevant examples (Chap-ter 3).

In the preface, the Editors state that ‘we havenot attempted to significantly adjust the style ofindividual writers’. As a result, there is a widediversity of writing styles between the chapters;for example, Chapter 4 is minimally referencedwith a conversational style, whereas Chapter 7 iswell referenced and has a more academic style.Different formats are also used, such as casestudies (Chapter 2), an annexe (Chapter 8) andchecklists (Chapter 10). As a result, this bookis perhaps more a collection of papers than acoherent whole. Content is also repeated, teamworking is covered repeatedly with considerableoverlap (e.g. pages 86–87 and 102–105), and clin-ical governance is covered in both Chapters 6 and8.

The following chapters are recommended forreading:

• Chapter 2 discusses change management; thishas two excellent case studies.

• Chapter 3 describes the development andapplication of care pathways; basic points areillustrated with examples.

• Chapter 5 deals with managing staff; it coversthe psychological contract, team working andinvestors in people, and gives some pragmaticadvice.

• Chapter 6 describes quality of care and linkstheory to the healthcare sector. The brief dis-cussion of clinical governance and audit arebasic.

• Chapter 7 addresses the important issueof user involvement in services. It coversthe historical perspective, methods of userinvolvement and barriers, and is stronglyrelated to clinical practice with soundguidance.

• Chapter 11 discusses the management ofwork-related stress and includes a successfulcase study.

Overall, this book has some interestingchapters, but a more specific focus on AHPsand a consistent style and format would havemade it even more valuable to AHP man-agers.

Heather ThorntonE-mail address: h.a.thornton@herts.ac.uk

doi:10.1016/j.physio.2008.08.002

Pain Management: Practical Applications ofthe Biopsychosocial Perspective in Clinicaland Occupational Settings, 2nd ed. C.J. Main,M.J.L. Sullivan, P.J. Watson, 2008, 426 pages,£41.99, ISBN 978-0-443-10069-7

This text will be a valuable resource forphysiotherapists in many settings working withpatients who experience pain. It certainly hasa place on the bookshelf of outpatient phys-iotherapy departments and occupational healthdepartments, and on the reading list for under-graduate physiotherapy courses. It is a significantrefocusing of the first edition, published in2000, which was written primarily for therapistsinvolved in pain management programmes, andit is still an excellent text for these clinicians.This second edition offers an accessible structure,divided into six sections: Models and mecha-nisms, Assessment, Psychosocial interventions,Tertiary pain management programmes, Occupa-tional perspectives, and a concluding section. It isthoroughly referenced, and the references will actas signposts into the relevant literature for thosewho wish to explore issues further. It includesrecent theory, but also introduces a historicalperspective where appropriate, such as the his-tory of pain theories. Whilst some psychologicalapproaches to pain seem to reinforce a dualistic,mind and body approach, this book ensures that aunited approach is taken: ‘the multidimensionalframework offered by the biopsychosocial modelhas required the integration of psychological con-cepts with both biomedical and socio-economicperspectives’ (p. 51). There is a clear expla-nation of the evidence on risk and prognosis,using the Flag concept to focus upon the spe-cific factors which might lead the therapist inthe direction of a particular treatment strategy.Following on from the assessment section, athorough explanation of a cognitive behaviouralapproach to the management of pain includesconsideration of the broad range of issues tobe considered in developing a successful treat-ment package. The book is well organised andthoroughly indexed, allowing the reader to dipinto a section or to search the book for specificinformation.

Pete GladwellE-mail address: Peter.Gladwell@nbt.nhs.uk

doi:10.1016/j.physio.2008.07.003

Pain Management: from Basics to ClinicalPractice. John Hughes, Churchill Livingstone,

Elsevier, 2008, 300 pages, £22.99, ISBN 978-0-443-10336-0

This is an excellent book which aims toexamine all the facets of pain from the basic sci-