Moving and Handling

Moving and handling is part of everyday health and social care, from supporting a person’s movement to transporting equipment and supplies. This course develops your understanding of handling risks, individual support needs and safer working principles. You will explore how assessed plans, suitable equipment and clear communication support safer care, and learn when to seek help, report concerns and record changes.

Course Aim

To develop the knowledge needed to recognise moving and handling risks, understand your responsibilities and make safer decisions within your role.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Identify common moving and handling activities and their potential consequences.
2. Explain how physical strain and work design affect injury risk.
3. Recognise relevant legal duties and the boundaries of your competence.
4. Identify factors considered in handling assessments and individual plans.
5. Explain how mobility, communication, consent and personal preferences influence support.
6. Recognise equipment suitability, safety-check and hygiene requirements.
7. Apply safer decision-making principles to everyday handling situations.
8. Describe how to respond to concerns, report incidents and record relevant information.

Who Is This Course For?

This course is suitable for care assistants, healthcare assistants, support workers, domiciliary care workers, agency staff and nurses requiring awareness learning or a theory refresher. It is also relevant to other health and social care staff whose work involves moving equipment or supplies.

Course Scope

The course covers the theory of moving people and handling objects, including risk assessment, ergonomics, person-centred support, equipment awareness and reporting responsibilities.

Examples focus on adult health and social care. Legal and regulatory content identifies where requirements apply, including provisions specific to England.

Practical Training and Competence

This online course does not assess your practical handling skills or authorise you to operate equipment. Before carrying out handling tasks, you must have the appropriate practical training, assessment and workplace authorisation for your role, equipment and local arrangements.

Specialist handling assessments and complex handling techniques are outside this course’s scope.

Learning and Assessment

The course contains eight teaching modules with interactive activities and two knowledge checks in each module. These checks help you review your understanding before progressing.

The final assessment contains 12 questions based on the course content. You must answer at least 10 questions correctly to meet the 80% pass requirement.

Successful completion demonstrates awareness-level knowledge. It does not establish practical competence.

Learning Time

Work through the course at a pace that allows you to understand each topic and complete the activities. Allow additional time to revisit any material you find unfamiliar.

How to Use This Course

1. Follow the modules in order.
2. Open each interactive item and read its explanation.
3. Complete the knowledge checks and review the feedback.
4. Use the further-reading links to explore relevant official resources.
5. Complete the final assessment after finishing all teaching modules.