Optimal-Handed Care is currently being adopted across systems, with several organisations highlighting significant benefits (LGA, 2025, RCOT 2024). Research completed by Harrison (2017) identified a lack of appropriate tools to assist clinicians with their risk assessment process when reviewing or carrying out assessments to reduce care packages.  

Deborah Harrison and Jo Webb have developed a evidence-based tool to assist strategic leaders, project managers, clinicians and Moving and Handling Assessors structure and guide the risk assessment process, reduce risk and justify decisions.

This seminar will present the research methodology and an overview of the tool, to assist everyone involved in Moving and Handling. In addition to discussion of the evidence base, we aim to share the tool freely to allow a structured, evidence-based supportive process for the moving and handling community to justify recommendations and provide clinical reasoning. Following the OT Show we intend to release the tool across the wider M + H community including National Bodies to reinforce the ethos of optimal-handed care.