1.1 Identify current legislation, national guidelines, policies, procedures and protocols in relation to moving and positioning individuals.
There are numerous pieces of legislation, national guidelines, policies, and procedures in relation to moving and positioning individuals. The most notable is the Health & Safety at Work Act (1974), which outlines that employers have a duty to protect their employees from harm while they are carrying out their duties at work. This includes implementing strategies for safe manual handling practices, as well as ensuring staff receive adequate training on how to move and position individuals safely. Furthermore, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 provides further guidance on suitable methods for lifting equipment, such as hoists or wheelchairs, when transferring or manoeuvring a person from one place to another.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) also published guidelines relating to this, with a particular focus on moving people safely within healthcare settings while preventing potential injury/harmful effects caused by unsafe manual handling techniques. This document should be consulted if there is any doubt regarding an appropriate course of action during an individual transfer situation within a clinical setting.
The HSE also has a guideline on its website (Moving and handling in health and social care) that outlines best practises on safely moving and handling individuals.
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has its own guidelines, which stress the importance of only engaging in manual handling activities if no other option is available and providing training to staff members who carry out such activities on a regular basis. The NICE guideline also outlines that assessment should take place prior to any form of transfer or movement with an individual, as this can determine if it is safe for them to do so without assistance or further support, thereby avoiding harm/injury during a moving process.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has also published guidance documents related to Moving & Handling, which provide advice on best practices when transferring individuals safely within different settings, ranging from home-based care environments to acute healthcare facilities. These documents stress the need for proper risk assessments to be carried out before each transfer process takes place, with strategies then implemented accordingly, taking into consideration all possible risks identified during such an assessment.
Other answers in the full document:
- 1.2 Summarise own responsibilities and accountability in relation to moving and positioning individuals
- 1.3 Describe health and safety factors in relation to moving and positioning individuals
- 2.1 Outline the anatomy and physiology of the human body in relation to moving and positioning individuals
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2.2 Describe the impact of specific conditions on the movement and positioning of an individual
- 3.1 Describe the action to take if the individual’s wishes conflict with their care plan
- 4.5 Describe the aids and equipment that may be used for moving and positioning
- 5.1 Describe when advice and/or assistance should be sought in relation to moving or positioning an individual
- 5.2 Describe sources of information available in relation to moving and positioning individuals