'Moving & Handling People: Handling the Challenge' Conference

Thursday, 23rd March 2006

At EDGE Services we continuously strive to improve our practice by keeping up to date with events and occurrences in the healthcare sector. In keeping with this, members of our team attended the Disabled Living Foundation’s (DLF) ‘Moving & Handling People: Handling the Challenge’ conference, which took place 8th – 10th March 2006 in London.

This year’s theme was ‘Handling the Challenge’ and was designed to reflect current issues in manual handling, incorporating feedback from delegates who had attended previous events. It enabled delegates attending to work with and learn from experts, whilst also giving them the opportunity to meet key suppliers and view new products.

The Pre-conference session covered Bariatric Moving & Handling. Various workshops were held and handling aids demonstrated before an open debate session ran where those in attendance questioned the workshop facilitators and were given time to work practically through moving and handling solutions. The manual handling of heavier clients/patients often poses problems for staff. This session not only worked from case studies (setting familiar scenes for delegates attending) but it also provided them with a number of useful contacts including suppliers of new bariatric handling equipment and information pertaining to the management of pressure ulcers in morbidly obese patients. The DLF provided a fact sheet titled ‘Choosing Equipment for the Heavier Person (Known by professionals as bariatrics)’ which gives advice on personal care, clothing, diet, equipment and contacts, will, no doubt, prove invaluable to those involved. For your copy of the fact sheet, please contact the DLF direct via their website at www.dlf.org.uk

All in all, our staff found it a fascinating and valuable three days which both complemented and developed their expertise and experience - we look forward to next year’s event.