Choose equipment for the person and task—not the catalogue.
Hoists, slings, ceiling systems, standing transfer aids, transfer boards, slide sheets and bed-mobility equipment should be selected through individual assessment and used exactly within manufacturer guidance and local governance.
Representative equipment used across UK health and social care.
These illustrations show equipment classes, not universal recommendations. Specific suitability depends on the person, intended use, device instructions, compatibility, safe working load, environment, maintenance and staff competency.
Mobile passive hoists
For assessed full-body lifting where active transfer is not sufficiently safe or reliable.
Ceiling track systems
Useful where repeated lifting or restricted floor space makes overhead coverage more appropriate.
Sara Stedy / TA180-type aids
Standing transfer aids for people with enough assessed weight bearing, trunk control and participation for the specific device.
Slide sheets & transfer aids
Used where reducing friction or improving leverage can make a specific task safer and easier.
“Use a hoist” is not a complete plan.
A useful plan identifies the exact transfer problem and enough equipment detail for the technique to be repeatable and auditable.
“Equipment supports the technique. It does not replace assessment, clinical reasoning or staff competency.”
Equipment-selection principleNeed help choosing or reviewing equipment?
Book a complex equipment and transfer assessment rather than trialling devices without a clear person-centred handling objective.