Single Carer Handling

I recently attended a presentation by Sheenagh Orchard, a registered nurse and Moving and Handling Specialist at a conference organised North West and North Wales Back Exchange.  Sheenagh has done a considerable amount of work on single carer handling which has involved training staff and working with carers and managers to change the culture away from utilising two staff as being the default position for some manual handling techniques such as hoisting. 

She stated that she aimed to reduce the care packages to one carer packages by 45% with most authorities she has worked with and has managed that in a number of areas.  The provision of specific equipment is vital to ensure that one carer packages are realistic and workable, e.g. ceiling track hoist systems, gantry hoists, in bed re-positioning systems like the Phil-eSlide etc. 

Sheenagh does acknowledge that one carer handling is not always possible and that in almost all situations where a mobile hoist has to be used two carers will likely be needed.  The assessment is all important in determining where single carer handling is possible and appropriate.  This is something that we at Personal Care Consultants wholeheartedly agree with.  We feel that one carer support is likely to become more common in the future as staff resources become increasingly stretched and the elderly population increases.

Helen Sheard, Consultant Occupational Therapist