Person-centred moving and handling plans

A moving and handling plan should be specific and based on the individual. It must record what the person can and cannot do, how much help they provide, what equipment is required, and how risks are reduced at different times of day and night.

Plans should note strength, balance, pain, fatigue, tissue condition, spasm, communication and cognition, falls risk, anxiety, bariatric needs, and the person's usual daily pattern. Capacity can change through the day or after an event such as hospital discharge, infection, pain flare or medication change, so a plan that worked yesterday may be unsafe today.

What a good plan should make clear

• What the person can do independently: for example weight-bearing, turning, standing, using a frame or following prompts.
• What help is needed for each task: bed mobility, chair transfer, toilet transfer, showering, walking, vehicle transfer or returning from floor level.
• Which equipment is needed: specific hoist, sling type and size, slide sheet, transfer board, standing aid, wheelchair, profiling bed, shower chair or bariatric equipment where relevant.
• How many staff are needed: and for which task, route or time of day.
• What risks need attention: pain, fear, skin fragility, lines or tubes, poor space, tendency to fall, agitation or fatigue.
• When to review: after incidents, hospital discharge, deterioration, repeated near misses, equipment changes or staff concerns.

HSE advises balancing staff safety with the rights and needs of people using services. Handling should not impose unnecessary restrictions on autonomy, privacy or dignity. Support the person to do what they can safely do rather than removing independence for staff convenience.

Manager focus: review triggers

A moving and handling plan should describe the person as they are now, not the person they were last month.