Care Commission issues warning over moving & handling

Following a recent investigation the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care have stated that manual handling training needs to be delivered to care home workers on a systematic basis and that refresher training should always be available.

The investigation was conducted after the Care Commission received a complaint that one care provider was not supplying proper training to its staff, particularly at the induction stage. The complainant was especially concerned about the staff’s lack of proper knowledge about safe moving and handling procedures.

Care Commission officers interviewed staff at the home in question and also scrutinised their induction records. They found that induction recording was poor and inconsistent and that there was no record of individual staff training needs. A total of nineteen members of staff had not received any moving and handling training despite the fact that they were involved in carrying out moving and handling tasks.

Investigating officers were able to ascertain that the care home did have a clear moving and handling policy in place but had failed to implement it properly. Upon further examination it became apparent that the provider depended too much on staff members instructing each other in moving and handling practices and that care plans were rarely consulted or even made reference to.

As a result of the investigation the service was issued with two Requirements to ensure that moving and handling tasks were delivered appropriately and that the risk to service users was minimised.

The Care Commission is concerned that effective moving and handling training is vital for the safety of both care workers and care home residents and that if staff are not properly trained the chance of serious accidents and injuries occurring is greatly increased. They recommend a focus on the best up-to-date practice and state that clear policies on the delivery of services should be in place. As the above case study revealed, employees need proper training in order to implement those policies correctly.

We offer Moving and Handling of People and Moving, Handling and Hoisting training courses aimed at those who work in the care sector which meet Skills for Care Common Induction Standards. Operations Director Perry Leeks says: “Care providers have a responsibility to ensure that their staff are properly trained for all of the services that they have to deliver, and this is perhaps most important when it comes to moving and handling tasks. If, due to a lack of training, these tasks are not carried out correctly the consequence can be serious injury to the service user or staff member.

“Our courses teach the correct techniques for moving and handling and provide an opportunity for practical skills practice including assisting to walk or stand and chair and bed work. For the Moving, Handling and Hoisting of People training course there is also a practical demonstration using an actual hoist.”

For further information on moving and handling training please call us today.