sorry - I meant the LA will only pay/provide funding for <span style="text-decoration: underline;">hoist</span> training for school staff - we expect schools to pay for any generic moving and handling as it is the employer's responsibility to ensure their staff are trained.  We are considering ways to create a M&H training offer from within our team but this is still some way off.  The ex-physio we use is private so we still have to pay for her!  She is very good though and we get more positive feedback than we do for the bigger companies we use.

As a M&H Advisor in schools, working for a local authority, I focus on making sure the staff are safe who support the children and young people. I deliver the M&H training as part of our local offer. This is generic training and also bespoke training on specialist equipment, including hoisting.

OT's and Physio's will diagnose/support the CYP however naturally there is an overlap.  OT's/Physio's  show school staff how to use a piece of equipment. I may follow up with some training where the M&H principles are applied. We work in partnership when it comes to assessing for slings or where we need a M&H solution.

I have my role, OT's and Physio's have theirs, and we meet in the middle. We have a position statement so we know the boundaries but it's also about building those partnerships and having an understanding on how we can support each other.

That is interesting regarding the M&H plan for assistance levels. I do that but haven't justified it in this way.

Thanks Lyndsey. Would you be open to sharing your position statement by email as I think that's exactly what I need? Also, I'm interested in MH Advisors background in terms of feeling confident/experienced/having supervision? Rose- our NHS colleagues write the MH Plans where prescribed equipment is in place.

Can I ask for some more background regarding when a sling is prescribed and needs to be OT led versus when a sling is considered more generic and can be recommended by a MH Trainer?

Are any of your schools/settings regularly using manual slings where hoisting isn't possible- the promove slings look useful for when space is tight. I wondered if anyone had tried these?

Hi Kate,

In Barnet, part of our practice we offer M&H generic training with a bespoke element as we would know and be involved with the YP. I am currently the only qualified member of the team that can deliver it, i am a teacher.  Few years ago we decided to have someone trained so that we could support our stakeholders as there was such a high demand and a high cost to schools when booked privately.

Like Lindsey and Clare, we work very closely with OTs & PTs as they prescribe the equipment and will demonstrate usage (most of the time), though they refuse to do the M&H training as, apparently, their insurance does not cover it:-(.

I ran sessions often which can last up to 3.30 hrs ( when there is hoist training involved) and i usually have 6 to 10 people attending; these are delivered in school. I always encourage for an increased participation so that if a member of staff is absent there would always be someone else trained. Sessions have an element of theory (legislation) and practice and we also go through the diagnosis as well as IEEP (Individual emergency evacuation procedures- PEEP).

Can I ask for some more background regarding when a sling is prescribed and needs to be OT led versus when a sling is considered more generic and can be recommended by a MH Trainer?

Are any of your schools/settings regularly using manual slings where hoisting isn’t possible- the promove slings look useful for when space is tight. I wondered if anyone had tried these?

We would never prescribe a sling , these are always prescribed for the YP for a purpose (no generic approach to them in Barnet), by the OT or PT! Personally i never used a manual sling nor do i know anyone that has used one or have seen anyone using it.

Best of luck.