Thursday, 10th September 2009
It has been well documented in the media of late that we are facing a problem of almost epidemic proportions when it comes to adult obesity across the UK.
Consequently staff at a South Yorkshire hospital have designed a suit that can be worn to assist in the moving and handling training of these clients.
Janet Scott, Deputy Manual Handling Manager at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust had become concerned about the steady increase in the number of obese clients that staff had to move in the Trust. As a result she presented the idea to her colleagues in the sewing room and requested that they make a suit that staff could wear to simulate an obese client during their training sessions.
Once made its effectiveness was apparent enabling staff to practise a number of moving and handling techniques that could be utilised with the obese client. The suit represents a 20-30 stone client and has given the staff confidence to be able to move such a client as safely as possible, improving the quality of care for the larger clients that now form a quarter of our adult population.
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