In Essex we will only pay for hoist training.  We ask Schools to arrange and pay for generic manual handling themselves.  Therapists will only 'demonstrate' specific transfers.  Sometimes it's a bit of a grey area as we sometimes use one MH trainer who used to be an NHS physio and covers both generic and specific in her training.

Hi,

In Solihull there are currently three of us trained to be Moving and Handling Trainers within the PD team to train mainstream school staff offering a choice of 2 course dates each year and we will do bespoke hoist training with specific staff within setting. This will involve theory and practical based training. It works well as we know the pupils and can adapt the training at times to resolve some individual concerns.

The 3 specialist schools in Solihull have at least one Moving and Handling Trainer  in each school who will be trained to deliver in their school in a very similar way.

All Moving and Handling training has to be refreshed every 2 years and annually for hoist training.

The 3 specialist settings and ourselves in the PD team have worked together to create a similar safer system approach/paperwork to help with transitioning pupils. And when it comes to us all having our refresher training, we all go together as this is another way of networking and keeping in contact.

One of us from the PD team will join physio / OT's with any new equipment and we will write a moving and handling plan if required from this opportunity with  staff learning how best to be supporting the pupil. So it is  a joint effort of all on some occasions. All paperwork is then sent onto school/ parents to be signed and agreed.

A Moving and Handling plan is written if a pupil requires:

3- MODERATE ASSISTANCE  The student requires more help than touching, or expends half (50%) or more (up to 75%) of the effort.
2- MAXIMUM ASSISTANCE   The student expends less than 50% of the effort but at least 25%
1- TOTAL ASSISTANCE   The student expends less than 25% of the effort.

If a child has a change of need, it will be updated as soon as possible.

Thanks Jo. Can I ask what you mean by 'we only pay for hoist training? That's great you have a ex Physio!

Clare-can I ask about your MH backgrounds (are they teachers?)  in terms of them feeling confident/competent? Do they have any health supervision?

Also interested in how other LEAs operate their training, we are an education based team of teachers and although Ot/physio assist and work alongside us with physical assessment of students, we offer bespoke and generic MH. We train schools on risk assessment and how to ensure they are fit for purpose. What do handling plans look like for your settings?