Urgent Action Required to Reduce the Risk of Serious Injury and Death
A new National Patient Safety Alert has been issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) following continued reports of serious incidents involving patient hoists and slings. The alert highlights that fatal and life-changing injuries continue to occur when people fall during moving and handling activities, with an average of two deaths reported each year since 2015. The risks have been identified across a range of care settings and are not linked to any specific manufacturer or model.
Call to Action
If you would like support reviewing your moving and handling training, assessing workforce competency, or strengthening quality assurance arrangements within your service, contact HCPA for advice and guidance coursebookings@hcpa.co.uk . Together, we can ensure that people remain safe, dignified and well supported during every transfer and repositioning activity.
Training opportunities with HCPA:
Moving & Assisting Train the Trainer – HCPA
Moving & Assisting Trainer REVALIDATION – HCPA
The alert identifies several common causes of incidents, including incompatible hoist and sling combinations, damaged or incorrectly fitted equipment, inadequate pre-use checks, overdue maintenance, incorrect sling selection, and insufficient staff training. It also highlights the importance of following manufacturers’ instructions and ensuring equipment remains compliant with Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations.
Key Actions for Care Providers
All registered adult social care providers that use hoists and slings should take this opportunity to review their current moving and handling practices by:
- Checking that hoists and slings are compatible and approved for use together.
- Ensuring routine pre-use checks are completed and recorded.
- Reviewing maintenance schedules and LOLER inspection records.
- Removing damaged, worn or expired equipment from service immediately.
- Confirming that service users are assessed with the correct type and size of sling.
- Refreshing staff training and competency assessments for all moving and handling activities.
- Reinforcing the importance of following manufacturers’ instructions at all times.
Why This Matters
Moving and handling activities are undertaken every day across care homes, supported living services and home care settings. Whilst hoists and slings are essential tools for supporting people safely, failures in equipment management, maintenance or staff competence can have devastating consequences for the individual being supported, their families and the staff involved.
This alert serves as an important reminder that safe moving and handling is everyone’s responsibility and that robust governance arrangements are needed to ensure equipment remains safe and staff remain competent.
View Patient Survey in full here
HCPA Recommendation
HCPA encourages all providers to review their moving and handling policies, risk assessments, training records and equipment management processes as a matter of priority. Providers should also ensure that lessons learned from this alert are shared with relevant staff teams and incorporated into regular quality assurance activities.
By taking proactive action now, providers can help protect people who draw on care and support, reduce risk, and demonstrate a strong commitment to safe, high-quality care.