The HSE has published on its website a number of English NHS Trust case studies focusing on manual handling and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the health services.
The HSE says some trusts have made considerable improvements in their rates of time lost due to MSDs and the case studies published on the website are presented to show the approaches adopted, and the outcomes achieved. However, the list of trusts is by no means exhaustive covering only a limited number of English Trusts.
Nevertheless, in each of the studies, the HSE says that commitment from high level management and the drive generated by competent persons within the trust, have been highly influential in the success of the projects. The featured trusts are as follows.
- Luton and Dunstable NHS Trust: This trust adopted a cohesive approach to risk management and reduced sickness absence by over 70%.
- Wigan and Leigh NHS Trust: A programme of risk assessment and training reduced staff working hours lost through patient handling related injury by 97%.
- Nottingham City Hospital: This trust used ergonomic principles through top-down and bottom-up strategies to reduce both manual handling incidents and associated time lost by 35%.
- Kings Healthcare NHS Trust: This case study shows the benefits for the patient and the healthcare provider of a 'total bed management' system. (Electric bed frames, standard mattresses and a range of specialist therapy mattresses for high dependency patients may be collectively known as total bed management systems.)
- Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust: This trust adopted a 'total managed equipment' contract and showed benefits for patients through the introduction of electric profiling beds and other furniture. This freed up staff time for other nursing duties and reduced the risks from patient handling.