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Mobility (Wales) Policy

Policy Statement

This policy sets out the values, principles and procedures underpinning this care provider’s approach to supporting the mobility of its service users, while also maintaining staff safety in the performance of their tasks to support their users’ mobility.

The policy is in line with the relevant health and safety laws applicable to all businesses and to meet the requirements of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, which require service providers to ensure that their care users experience high quality care and that they have confidence in their care service.

Every service user has the right to adequate support to help them achieve the best level of mobility possible. Service users have a range of different mobility needs and many will require a degree of assistance. In such an environment {{org_field_name}} recognises that there needs to be a balance in its approach to ensure that:

• service users’ personal wishes on mobility assistance are respected wherever possible
• service users’ independence and autonomy is supported as fully as possible.
• care staff are not required to perform tasks that put themselves or their service users at unreasonable risk.

The policy is, as far as is reasonably practicable, to support service users’ mobility needs wherever possible, ensuring that adequate lifting equipment or manual handling aids are provided, that they are fit for purpose and safe to use, and that suitable adaptations are made to the environment.

{{org_field_name}} will also provide the information, instruction, training and supervision required to ensure the health and safety at work of employees and others involved in supporting mobility needs.

Procedures

In this care service:

• A full assessment of each service user’s mobility needs should be carried out at the start of their care. Where individual service users need assistance with mobility, their needs will be fully recorded and added to their care plans.
• Service users, and, where appropriate, their families, carers and advocates, should be able to contribute as fully as possible to the assessment of their mobility needs, and any specialist support from other professionals, such as occupational therapists and physiotherapists, sought.
• The assessment should identify the moving and handling aids and techniques that are required to help the service user’s mobility.
• The needs assessment should also identify any adaptations or modifications needed to the user’s environment, such as wheelchair ramps, fitted hand rails, flat surfaces, etc. Such adaptations should be made in compliance with the access requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
• To ensure safety, and to maximise the independence and dignity of service users, this care provider adopts a minimal handling approach with regard to the moving and handling of service users, whereby the physical handling or lifting of service users is minimised or avoided wherever possible. Where handling of service users is required, specialist skills will be employed by staff who are appropriately trained and equipped.
• A moving and handling risk assessment should be completed in all cases where assistance for service users is planned. It is mandatory that all staff who undertake the movement of service users attend the appropriate moving and handling training, the frequency of which is identified in the statutory and mandatory training policy.
• All assessments of moving and handling needs will consider the dignity and independence of service users as well as their reablement, rehabilitation and developmental needs. To support independence and reablement, service users should be encouraged to assist in their own moving or transfers where appropriate and as far as is reasonably practicable.
• Handling aids and mobility aids will be obtained and used where appropriate to improve mobility and minimise risk, as indicated in the moving and handling plan. Equipment intended to improve and facilitate mobility will include:
  • hoists and slings
  • slide sheets
  • transfer boards
  • turntables
  • electric profiling beds for dependent or immobile residents
  • wheelchairs
  • handling belts to assist weight-bearing service users
  • lifting cushions
  • bed levers, support rails or poles
  • emergency evacuation equipment
  • suitable walking aids, such as frames and sticks, crutches, walkers, etc
  • manual wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, power chairs and scooters.
• Equipment, including hoists, will only be used as specified in the moving and handling plan and then only by staff who have been trained and are competent to use the hoist involved. All handlers must be familiar with the system of work for the manoeuvre being implemented. Equipment and aids must be used, maintained and serviced according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Service users will always be informed as clearly as possible about the manual handling operation and their consent sought. All communications and information provided must take into account the service user’s need, including their social and cultural background and any disabilities.
• Any support provided for the mobility needs of service users that requires manual handling on the part of staff must comply with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, which set out an obligation upon employees to make full use of systems of work laid down for their safety in manual handling operations.
• Required modifications or adaptations to the environment will be carried out by a qualified and approved contractor and will include grab rails, widened doorways (for wheelchair access), call systems and alarms, storage areas for aids and equipment (including wheelchairs if needed), lifts and stair lifts, etc.

Reporting of Accidents and Incidents

All accidents or incidents involving the moving and handling of service users should be reported, including near-misses (where an accident could have occurred but was narrowly avoided). Staff must complete an incident form following any accident or incident and statements should be taken from witnesses to the incident whenever possible and appropriate.

Training

All staff will be given adequate training and information on supporting service users with their mobility needs.

All staff will be given adequate training and information on manual handling, including how to safely support the mobility needs of service users, and risks and how to avoid them.

Those staff who need to use specialist equipment will be fully trained and supervised while they are developing their competency.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}

Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}

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