General Note
NHS Fife acknowledges and agrees with the importance of regular and timely review of policy statements and aims to review policies within the timescales set out. New policies will be subject to a review date of no more than 1 year from the date of first issue.
Reviewed policies will have a review date set that is relevant to the content (advised by the author) but will be no longer than 3 years.
If a policy is past its review date, then the content will remain extant until such time as the policy review is complete and the new version published, or if national policy or legislative changes are made.
1. FUNCTION
1.1. NHS Fife is conversant with its health and safety responsibilities as an employer and recognises the significant risks of musculoskeletal injury associated with moving and handling activities.
1.2 NHS Fife aims to reduce the risk of injury to staff from hazardous moving and handling in all but exceptional and life-threatening situations (Appendix 1).
1.3 The “Moving and Handling Operations Regulations 1992” as amended requires managers to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks to the health and safety of their employees while at work. NHS Fife staff will be encouraged to follow existing moving and handling risk management systems, which reduces the risk of musculoskeletal injury, wherever reasonably practicable. Where risk cannot be eliminated completely, it will be reduced to an acceptable level.
1.4 The function of this policy is to ensure that the organisation is supported in achieving risk reduction measures to minimise the risk of musculoskeletal injury to all staff.
2. LOCATION
The policy applies across all areas where NHS Fife and Fife H&SCP staff provide clinical care and interventions, including healthcare premises and care delivered in a domiciliary setting or private healthcare facility.
2.1 Scope
2.1.1 This policy applies to all staff and by agreement, contractors working within NHS Fife.
3. RESPONSIBILITY
3.1 NHS Fife Board is responsible for all aspects of moving and handling risk management. Board members have corporate responsibility for health and safety, and they are assured of this through the Chief Executive and the Director of Property and Asset Management – Estates and Facilities.
3.2 Senior and Line Managers are responsible for;
3.2.1 Ensuring that all staff receives the appropriate moving and handling training in line with their job role, as part of their induction process. Course descriptors can be found here Hub • Blink (joinblink.com). (Appendix 3 and 5)
3.2.2 Utilising TURAS, PDP, and revalidation processes to regularly identify and review individual learning and development needs. This will ensure all staff receive right information, instruction, training and supervision in moving and handling activities and the use of moving and handling equipment and monitor the application of learning in the workplace.
3.2.3 The development and review of moving and handling task specific risk assessment for their area, and where necessary, ensure adequate control measures are identified and implemented.
3.2.4 Ensuring individualised staff risk assessments are carried out as required.
3.2.5 Providing safe and suitable moving and handling equipment; ensuring the safe use of equipment where provided; confirming and implementing a procedure for cleaning whilst ensuring compliance with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) for 6 monthly examination and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment 1998 (PUWER) for annual servicing.
3.2.6 Retaining an accurate moving and handling equipment inventory and updating this when equipment is bought or condemned.
3.2.7 Monitoring the reporting of accidents, incidents and near misses via Datix reporting system to establish patterns which will assist in the review and development of training content. Undertaking investigations into moving and handling related accidents, incidents and near misses to show root cause and to review control measures accordingly. Aid with incident investigation and root cause analysis may be obtained from the moving and handling team and/or health and safety team.
3.2.8 Ensuring that existing risk assessments are reviewed, or an employee specific risk assessment is competed where a moving and handling injury has been reported or other moving and handling incident has occurred.
3.2.9 Individual sickness absence will be managed in line with ‘Once for Scotland Attendance Policy https://workforce.nhs.scot/policies/attendance-policy-overview/
3.2.10 Keeping exact records of your staffs’ attendance at mandatory moving and handling training.
3.2.11 Obtaining information of new recruits previous moving and handling training to ensure everyone's moving and handling training requirements are met by referencing the Guidance for Managers Flowchart. (See Appendix 3)
3.2.12 Ensuring new staff that can show previous moving and handling education in line with the Scottish Manual Handling Passport Scheme will bypass moving and handling induction training and will have their moving and handling competencies checked at departmental level by their local manager. The Guidance for Managers Flowchart must be used.
3.2.13 All departments should utilise a regular review system to identify any outstanding training need in conjunction with the self-assessment document.
3.3 Employees - All employees are responsible for:
3.3.1 Ensuring staff are up to date with both online and practical training in line with their role, providing line manager with proof of attendance and completion.
NB. If training lapses by 5 years or more full induction will be required.
3.3.2 Implementing moving and handling risk reduction measures following current best practice as taught during moving and handling practical training and e-learning theory and to show awareness of this policy.
3.3.3 Following moving and handling related local procedures and safe systems of work.
3.3.4 Recording patients' mobility capabilities in the Client Handling Risk Assessment form on admission by Nursing Staff.
3.3.5 Utilising TURAS, PDP & Revalidation processes to identify and review the learning and development needs required of their role, undertaking moving and handling training proportionate to their role and apply the skills and knowledge acquired in the workplace.
3.3.6 Making full and safe use of moving and handling equipment provided, following training, instruction and manufacturers guidance.
3.3.7 Shortcomings in existing moving and handling arrangements which present a serious or imminent risk of danger must be escalated to their manager.
3.3.8 Reporting moving and handling equipment defects to the Estates Department and ensuring that equipment is marked as unsuitable and is removed from use until repaired or replaced.
3.3.9 Advising their manager with regards to any injury or health condition, which may affect their ability to perform moving & handling tasks safely. The line manager will, with consent of the employee, refer to Occupational Health for assessment. Staff can self-refer to Occupational Health for Physiotherapy, Counselling, and to discuss a health issue with an OH (Occupational Health) Nurse. If it is an issue that will affect their work, OH will recommend that the member of staff discuss with their Line Manager so that a Management Referral can be submitted, and a report provided with recommendations to Management.
3.3.10 Recording via Datix, all moving and handling incidents, accidents or near misses that occur.
3.3.11 Prescribing employees will liaise with the lead for Fife Equipment Loan Store (FELS) about issues relating to moving and handling equipment in the community.
3.4 Moving and Handling Team
3.4.1 Part of Health and Safety Services, the Moving and Handling Team consists of a Health and Safety Advisor/Moving and Handling Team Lead, Moving and Handling Coordinator and Practitioners. The Health and Safety Advisor/Moving and Handling Team Lead, Coordinator and Practitioners are the main sources of moving and handling advice and guidance and oversee the implementation of the moving and handling strategy whilst working collaboratively with risk management and the Health and Safety Team.
3.4.2 The Health and Safety Advisor/Moving and Handling Team Lead is responsible for:
• Ensuring that training is in line with the moving and handling training standards and NHS Scotland Moving and Handling Passport Scheme 2014.
• To work with and support H&S Services Manager in the development, implementation, review and audit of effective health, safety and wellbeing management arrangements for NHS Fife and deliver a high-quality moving and handling service involving the provision of advice, information, support and training, which will enable the organisation to follow the Manual Handling Operation Regulations 1992 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
• Developing an NHS Fife-wide strategy for moving and handling, formulating and reviewing relevant policies, procedures and protocols.
• The provision of expert advice, guidance and practical support at corporate, managerial and clinical levels.
• Providing advice and support to managers to ensure system development and ease implementation of the Moving and Handling Operations Regulations (1992).
• Aiding managers in investigation and root cause analysis for injury, non-injury and RIDDOR reportable moving and handling incidents.
• Monitoring the reporting of accidents, incidents and near misses via Datix reporting system to show patterns which will help review and develop training content.
• When required, work with managers to identify, prioritise and facilitate the moving and handling risk assessment process in their area of responsibility.
• To advise on the reporting, investigation and management of incidents in line with statutory requirements and as a means of preventing/ minimising incident recurrence
3.4.3 The Moving and handling Coordinator is responsible for:
• Assuming a lead role in the continual development of training programs, ensuring the implementation and delivery of quality training which meets the needs of the service, in line with developments in technology and innovation.
• Assisting the Moving and Handling Team Lead in the development of an NHS Fife wide strategy for moving and handling and formulating and reviewing relevant policies, procedures and protocols
• Monitoring NHS Fife Datix system and Moving and Handling hub.
• Conducting investigations driven by Datix and providing advice/guidance and support for staff and managers.
• Undertaking formal monitoring of training delivery at a time specified in the Scottish Moving and handling Passport Scheme.
3.4.4 The Moving and Handling Practitioners are responsible for:
• The delivery of high-quality moving and handling training programs.
• Assisting the Moving and Handling Coordinator with the review process of course material and update accordingly, thus ensuring that moving and handling training provision is based on current best practice.
• Assisting the Moving and Handling Coordinator, Health and Safety Advisor/Moving and Handling Team Lead and / or Assistant Health and Safety Advisors, where applicable and under supervision, with Datix investigations and providing advice/guidance and support for staff and managers.
• Monitoring Moving and Handling hub.
4. OPERATIONAL SYSTEM
4.1 NHS Fife is committed to the implementation of a minimal handling policy in all but exceptional or life-threatening circumstances (Appendix 1) and the eradication of controversial lifts (Appendix 2) or when handling small children weighing less than 16kgs. Written procedures must be developed locally for handling during all exceptional and life-threatening situations.
4.2 Senior and line managers will ensure that moving and handling hazards are identified, and adequate control measures are implemented. (Appendix 4 and 7)
A Client Handling Risk Assessment will be undertaken and recorded for all patients on admission.
4.3 Practical moving and handling training will meet the minimum requirements of the Scottish Manual Handling Passport Scheme. Training will be available for all staff carrying out moving and handling tasks. Training frequency and content will be commensurate to role and exposure of risk and be based on organisational and departmental training/learning needs analysis (Appendix 5).
4.4 Where there are specialist handling requirements for plus size patients, e.g. additional/ specialist equipment, additional assessments, etc. Staff will follow the NHS Fife Policy for The Safer Handling of Heavier/Plus Size Patients (Appendix 6 for Policy) and the Bariatric Booklet available for download on BLINK.
4.5 Therapeutic handling may involve the taking of dynamically assessed risks by Allied Health Professionals (AHP). This is appropriate and essential if patients are to achieve their full potential. The management of risks in therapeutic handling is not addressed within this policy. Any moving and handling involved in AHP treatment programmes constitutes therapeutic handling.
5. RISK MANAGEMENT
5.1 NHS Fife is committed to;
Documenting all risk assessments, reviewing them if the situation or circumstances change substantially, following an accident/ incident, they are no longer valid or every 12 months, whichever is sooner.
Ensuring that moving and handling risk assessments consider vulnerable groups of employees, including new or expectant mothers, young people (14-17 years old), ageing workers and staff recovering from injury or illness.
6. RELATED DOCUMENTS
Appendices can be found here.
Appendix 1 - Exceptional and life-threatening Situations/ Special handling situations
Appendix 2 - Controversial Techniques
Appendix 3 – Guidance for Managers Flowchart
Appendix 4 - Additional Forms for the risk assessment process
Appendix 5 - Moving and Handling Training
Appendix 6 - Policy for The Safer Handling of the Heavier / Plus size Patient.
Appendix 7 – Heavier plus size example risk assessment
7. REFERENCES
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992
The Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended)
The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996
The Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977
The Scottish Government and Health and Safety Executive (2014)
The Scottish Moving and Handling Passport
Scottish Government
Backcare, Royal College of Nursing and The National Back Exchange (2023). The Guide to the Handling of People person-centred practice, 7th Ed. Middlesex: Backcare.
Guidance for safer handling during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in healthcare settings | May 2021
