Practice built around safer systems of work.

Safe, proportionate support for each assessed task.

This policy applies to Thrive Better Living assessments, recommendations, rehabilitation programmes, moving-and-handling plans, equipment reviews, implementation support and training. It provides a public summary of our practice controls; commissioning organisations must retain and apply their own locally approved policies, governance and statutory duties.

The person is not a load and staffing is not a target.

• Begin with the person’s goals, rights, consent, communication, dignity and active ability.
• Avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable; assess unavoidable handling and reduce risk so far as reasonably practicable.
• Use the least restrictive safe support, never the lowest staffing number by default.
• Consider foreseeable variation, not only best performance during one visit.
• Stop, retain or increase support when the proposed change is not safe or reliable.

Person, task, equipment, environment and staff capability.

A competent assessment considers the exact task and destination; mobility and transfer ability; pain, fatigue and clinical presentation; cognition and communication; body size and shape where relevant; equipment fit and compatibility; space and access; current staff input; variability; emergency arrangements and desired outcomes.

Specify a compatible system: not a generic product category.

Recommendations identify the named device and task, safe working load, size, accessories, sling or attachment configuration, clearance, bed and mattress interaction, maintenance status, current manufacturer instructions and any required inspections. Equipment is checked before use and must not be substituted without review where compatibility or technique could change.

Function is explored before dependency becomes fixed.

Where rehabilitation potential is identified, the person may be offered goal-led practice or supported referral to an appropriate locally commissioned therapy service. A change from two-person to one-person support, or from hands-on help to supervision or independence, requires an observed trial of the exact task, safe and repeatable performance, competent staff, a written plan, contingency and review triggers.

No recommendation is based on financial pressure alone. The assessed outcome may be unchanged, reduced, redesigned or increased support.

The plan must work at the point of care.

The written plan records the person’s baseline, exact task, equipment, setup, staff position, assistance and cueing, sequence, stop criteria, destination, contingency and reassessment triggers. Relevant staff receive a clear handover and must be able to demonstrate the agreed method before a material change becomes routine.

Review is triggered by changes in ability, pain, cognition, behaviour, weight or body shape, skin integrity, equipment, environment, staffing, repeated difficulty, incidents, near misses or concerns raised by the person or care team.

Decisions remain accountable and reviewable.

Thrive records clinical reasoning, professional scope, consent, recommendations, implementation status and review requirements. Safeguarding concerns, equipment defects, incidents and near misses are escalated through the appropriate organisational, statutory and manufacturer reporting routes. Audit examines documentation quality, implementation, outcomes, incidents and whether recommendations remain current.