By the end of this course, you will:

• Apply principles of safe handling, ergonomics, and correct posture.
• Understand relevant legislation, responsibilities, and organisational policies.
• Identify and prevent musculoskeletal injuries.
• Conduct risk assessments for people and inanimate loads.
• Safely lift, carry, push, pull, and transfer loads and individuals.
• Assist with mobility, bed transfers, and fallen-person recovery using appropriate aids.
• Operate hoists and slings safely and effectively.
• Communicate and work effectively in team handling situations.
• Recognise and address unsafe manual handling practices.

Pre Practical Day Theory

Module A – Theory

• Principles of safer handling & ergonomics
• Legislation overview
• Musculoskeletal disorders & injury prevention
• Anatomy of the spine
• Risk assessment methods
• Organisational policy and communication

Module B – Inanimate Load Handling & Ergonomics (Theory)

• Posture and body mechanics
• Team handling and communication
• Storage ergonomics and equipment checks

Practical Day

Module B – Inanimate Load Handling & Ergonomics (Practical)

• Safe lifting, lowering, carrying, pushing/pulling
• Practical demonstrations (e.g., lifting a box safely)

Module C – Sitting, Standing & Walking

• Unsafe practices.
• Assessing a person’s functional ability.
• Planning and environmental considerations
• Posture while assisting the person

Practical

• Unassisted standing, walking, sitting and re-positioning in a chair – to include verbal prompting.
• Moving a person forward and back in the chair
• Assisting a person to stand to sit/sit to stand
• Assisted walking
• Transfer from one surface to another whilst standing, without equipment

Module D – Bed Mobility Principles of using slide sheets.

• Unsafe practices.
• Assessing a person’s functional ability
• Planning and environmental considerations
• Posture while assisting the person
• Principles of using full-length transfer board
• Functions and safety aspects of bed frames and trolleys

Practical

• Unassisted movement in bed – to include verbal prompting
• Using Small assistive aids e.g. bed ladders
• Insertion and removal of slide sheets
• Sliding a person up / down a bed using a slide sheet
• Rolling a person onto their side / 90 degree turn with and without slide sheets
• Assist a person to get into & out of bed
• Lateral supine transfer
• Use of profiling beds

Module E – Fallen Person Handling

• Prevention of falls and management of the fallen person
• Posture whilst assessing and assisting the person.
• Unsafe practices
• Planning and environmental considerations

Practical

• Raising a fallen person with minimal assistance, e.g. use of chair

Module F – Use of Hoists

• Legislation and its application to patient hoists and accessories
• Principles of hoist use, including selection, use of accessories (where relevant) and safety checks
• Principles of the use of slings, including selection and safety checks.
• Unsafe practices.
• Assessing a person’s functional ability.
• Planning and environmental considerations
• Posture while assisting the person

Practical

• Fitting and removing a sling with the person (in bed, in a chair, on the floor)
• Hoisting a person, e.g., bed to chair, and /or chair to bed, using passive hoist and active hoist
• Hoisting a person from the floor

Key Benefits

• Nationally recognised and transferable across participating organisations.
• Flexible modular structure (A–F) to tailor training to staff needs.
• Emphasis on practical skills supported by theoretical knowledge.
• Promotes high standards and consistency across NHS Wales and partner organisations.