News

We asked people to comment on the issue of care workers lifting disabled people. To read an article from Community Care magazine exploring both sides of the argument click here

These are the comments we received:

"With proper training, monitoring, and risk assessment yes care workers should be lifting the people they support, if the person they're supporting prefers being moved manually. Very often being lifted by hoist or similar is uncomfortable, undignified and at times frightening."

Sue McLellan

"I do not think it right to lift a disabled person unless they are using the correct aid for lifting, I used to lift my son who is disabled and through the years, due to this I've had trouble with my back and think if I had the proper aid then to lift him with may not have suffered the way I do now."
 
Caroline Brooker

"It's very concerning some people's comments and thoughts in this age “I believe hoists should not be used and put on a big bonfire and burned” as quoted in Community Care, and “lots of people have thick pile carpets – you try manoeuvring someone in a hoist across that”. Well surely the carpet should be removed and a suitable placement found. Isn’t the care of someone’s back and spine more important than a carpet, this is about solving the problem not the symptoms. 

A member of staff whom worked for me ended up with severe back problems caused through one lift that should never have occurred, but did through peer pressure. She was never able to work in care again, and wasn’t particularly trained in any other area. She had to wear a back brace for over eight months - thank goodness she didn’t have a mortgage to pay or children to provide for. Her parents funded her to re-train as a teacher – no lifting involved there.

There is a reason for no lifting policies – it is to stop severe injuries. Carers are becoming more and more aware that they have rights and do not have to put themselves at risk. We already have a national shortage of nurses and carers if these people are then asked to put themselves at risk by lifting how many will change career direction or go and work at Tesco where they earn more. 

We must continue our search for better and more suitable lifting equipment and adaptations that make disabled people feel safe, secure and respected, this should always be a priority, but there are many many new items on the market that just keep getting better and better."

Anonymous

"I have a real dilemma about this issue.  I am a disabled person who happens to work for a local authority in community care cervices, although I don't work directly in care management. I have a number of friends who are wheelchair users and need to be lifted. I know that their lives would suffer tremendously if this blanket ban were implemented. 

I fully agree with Helen Speight's comments and obvious dislike of hoists. They are not comfortable for the majority of people and dignity - well forget it.

Sylvia Johnson comment that it would help the situation if disabled people had hospital beds at home and that carpets should be removed, I find quite insulting.

Surely the concept of independent living is that disabled people are afforded the same opportunities to live a full and independent life as anyone else. The idea of turning one's home into some sort of pseudo-hospital setting is frankly not one that should even be considered.

I do sympathise with care workers who have been injured, of course, but a total ban on lifting cannot be the solution. Full and proper training for all care staff should be provided, whether they work directly for an authority or employed by a disabled person or agency. Training must be updated and reviewed regularly and this should form part of the employment contract. Individuals also have a responsibility to take care of themselves and to report any injury, no matter how minor to their employer."

Karen Fenwick
Senior Customer Services Officer
Royal Borough of Kingston
Community Services

"In response to your article on lifting, It is obvious that Helen Speight has had a bad experience of being hoisted, but it is also obvious that the problems she describes should not have happened. This is an example of poor hoisting technique, wrong sling and probably poor training for those using the hoist.

On another tack, she says her husband has to go with her if she needs to be lifted, what is she going to do when her husband is so disabled by this constant wear and tear on his back that he can hardly move himself? No amount of training in good technique will ever eliminate the wear and tear issues which is why we have all the aids we do now.

The judge's decision that it is unlawful to refuse to lift someone clashes with other judges decisions under health and safety law and employers liability (not care laws which were under discussion in that case) where the judgements have been for the claimant on the grounds that the employer should have eliminated lifting. So where do employers go from here, allow their staff to be permanently damaged and be penalised under compensation claims, or be sued for looking after their staff by service users?"

Linda Westrupp
Health and Safety Officer
now in a difficult dilemma

"Care workers should certainly lift disabled people.They should be trained to minimise risk, but also to support the human rights of their clients."

Beverley Dawkins
National Officer for Profound and Multiple Learning Disability
Mencap National Centre

"This is not the response I had planned to write, but Ruth Winchester's article 'Lift Off' in Community Care starkly illustrates why so many back injuries occur through lifting. It is clear that in the case of the care worker the basic principles of safe handling were not being observed and the arrogance of the disabled person in firstly obtaining assistance under false pretences, and then expecting that person to put herself at risk by persuading her to go against the rules and struggle with her when it appears she had had no training in lifting and handling, is nothing short of reckless.

The disabled person obviously has no concept of the logistics of lifting and handling in the way she blithely dismisses the use of the sheet as a most effective lifting tool.

Having said that I applaud the high court ruling putting an end to 'no lifting bans', and with 30 years of injury-free first hand experience lifting the elderly and disabled I can see both sides of the argument. But as much as I support the right of the patient / client to refuse the use of the hoist there is a responsibility on both sides not to incur undue risks. I completely agree that being hoisted about in a sling can be undignified, uncomfortable, frightening and even dangerous when used in the wrong circumstances and I have always supported my patients/clients in their preferences and personally I prefer to lift manually. There are some cases where the use of a hoist is unavoidable, but there are many other items of equipment available to make lifting and handling easier and safer.

Existing regulations also require the attendance of two assistants even for the most basic manual handling. This is often unnecessary and a waste of resources. 

I believe that every case should be treated as individual, that a proper risk assessment is carried out taking into account the preferences and the capabilities of both the cared for and the carers. A blanket rule for everyone not only causes untold misery, but the financial implications on the package of care can determine whether a person will qualify for help at all."

Wendy Enderby

"As the two articles in your feature demonstrate, it is necessary to lift. Hoists are undignified and impossible to use in certain situations. What is needed is: higher staffing levels, more innovation, more time to assess and devise best practice for each individual case.

Councils should not ban lifting. Care workers should be medically assessed before working with immobile clients. They should be given appropriate support-including adequate staffing levels."

Heather Pomroy

"I feel it is unwise for carers to lift disabled people, as if they injure themselves, they will not get support from their employer. It will be recorded as excessive sick days and they may lose their jobs.

If someone has fallen it is best they are medically checked over by an ambulance crew. They are trained to lift and if all is well they will be lifted up back into their chair or bed. If they discover a fracture then they will take the person to hospital. You as a carer are then covered as you have done the best for the person you are caring for. If a person keeps falling then the GP should be informed for their input and that might mean arranging a more in depth study at hospital. If there are two carers, then only lift if you both have been trained and the person is certain they have no pain any area. If in doubt don't lift call for help."
Simon
(London)