Moving and handling
Investing in the right knowledge , skills and assistive devices can support these factors , not just for an organisation , but the wider health and care system .”
Moving and handling
Feature
I
n 2016 , Kirklees Council ’ s Moving and Handling Ergonomics Team commenced a single-handed care project . The key aim being to generate care hours back into the domiciliary care system , plus avoid unnecessary cost from over prescribed care packages . Over time , this initiative has shifted from a standalone single-handed care project to being embed into our standard practice . Our focus now is on optimisation .
Through robust assessment of the person ’ s strengths and maximising use of assistive devices , we deliver safe , effective and efficient moving and handling solutions . Current cost avoidance achieved , from working in this way , totals £ 6.5 million .
The journey from project to standard practice has been significant , as documented in the RCOT Innovation Hub project work , now accessible on the pilot RCOT Communities platform .
Our approach has evolved over time . Learning from our experiences , challenges and successes has shaped our current practice , including : our service offer ; how we define moving and handing ; and how we guide and support our local moving and handling community .
On many occasions we are asked about our work , so we decided to put pen to paper . Following on from our previous article ( Mottram and Thornton 2021 ), the aim of this article is to provide practical advice based on the team ’ s experiences over the years .
Our view of the health and care system is through a social care lens . However , many of our experiences will transfer over into other areas of the system .
Our team
As a specialist moving and handling team , our ethos lies in ergonomics and human factors . Our role is to provide an assessment , training and advisory service to formal adult care providers within the Kirklees locality .
Immersed in the moving and handling world , we are self-professed moving and handling geeks !
What is single-handed care ?
Although our project was titled ‘ single handed care ’, we very quickly realised that this was the wrong approach to adopt .
The term ‘ single-handed care ’ infers being a different entity to ‘ regular ’ moving and handling practice . In fact , care provided by a single handler has always existed . However , in recent years , likely from its capacity to avoid unnecessary cost and increase workforce capacity , the term was coined .
Investing in the right knowledge , skills and assistive devices can support these factors , not just for an organisation , but the wider health and care system .”
The value of the single-handed care approach extends beyond capacity and cost avoidance . The benefits for the person should be celebrated , which include :
• a more strengths-based focus
• one-to-one care and conversation
• enhanced privacy
• less intrusion into family life
• a potential flexibility in care routine .
From our experience , ‘ double ups ’ tend to offer a ‘ do to ’ or ‘ do for ’ approach , while care provided by a single handler offers more time to care and promotes active recovery and independence .
Additionally , we have seen many a person ’ s care experience being enhanced by their family , who as a single handler , are able to contribute to their loved one ’ s care and support .
Seen largely as a cost saving exercise and a specialist skill , it became apparent to us early on in our project that using the term single handed care inhibited our outcomes .
No different from our regular moving and handling practice , the approach is about robust risk assessment , maximising the range of assistive devices available , competence to design and competence to perform moving and handling activities . It is simply moving and handling at its optimum .
What ’ s moving and handling ?
Sitting firmly in the health and safety domain , moving and handling is traditionally seen as a vehicle to reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injury of the handler . However , moving and handling of people adds an extra layer of complexity – the person .
Unlike inanimate load handling , the safety of the handler does not outweigh that of the load ( the person ). Along with safety , outcomes must be effective for the person , in terms of the person ’ s health , wellbeing , rights , goals and independence .
November 2024 OTnews 21