Risk in allied health decision making

This thesis seeks to understand how allied health conceptualise risk and incorporate considerations related to risk into their decision making. It identifies that fear of legal risk, and ?safety in the status quo? are highly influential on decision-making. Also important are establishing risk ownership, the hierarchy of fears, self-doubt and self-blame, organisational incident reviews, blame from client, family and society, the protective shield and evaluating safety and meaning. This work helps health professionals and managers to understand both how and why they may be making risk averse decisions, and how these decisions may be at odds with patient preferences.