Skip to main content
Abertay Training Logo
Patient Handling Trainer Course — professional training course UK

Patient Handling Trainer Course

Accredited Level 3 SafeCert Qualification

2 Days
Accredited
£395 + VAT

Last Updated:

Accredited Patient Handling Trainer Course

Patient handling trainer course participants practising safe patient moving and handling techniques in healthcare UK

This accredited Patient Handling Trainer Award is specifically designed for healthcare professionals who want to teach the safe moving and handling of patients, residents, and service users. The two-day course covers specialist equipment including hoists, slide sheets, transfer belts, and standing aids, as well as risk assessment and legal compliance.

Upon completion, you will receive a SafeCert Level 3 Patient Handling Trainer Award and a complimentary PDLSG teaching qualification, enabling you to deliver accredited patient handling training in hospitals, care homes, domiciliary care, and other healthcare settings.

The course is available at venues across the UK and via live Zoom. In-house delivery is available for NHS trusts, care groups, and healthcare organisations with 6 or more delegates.

What You'll Learn on the Patient Handling Trainer Course

Patient Handling Legislation and Regulations
Anatomy and Physiology Relevant to Moving Patients
Risk Assessment for Patient Handling
Hoist Operation and Sling Selection
Slide Sheet and Transfer Belt Techniques
Standing and Turning Aids
Bed Mobility and Repositioning
Falls Prevention and Management
Training Delivery for Healthcare Staff
Assessment and Certification Processes

Who Should Attend the Patient Handling Trainer Course

Nurses and Healthcare Assistants
Care Home Managers and Senior Carers
Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists
NHS Moving and Handling Leads
Domiciliary Care Supervisors
Rehabilitation Specialists
Manual Handling Coordinators
Community Healthcare Workers

Patient Handling Trainer Course Dates & Locations

Patient Handling Trainer Course UK - accredited patient moving and handling trainer qualification for healthcare

Patient Handling Trainer Course Booking Form

Just Click on Your Selected Date Below to BOOK NOW.

Why teach Patient Handling?

Patient handling injuries are the leading cause of musculoskeletal disorders in healthcare. Qualified patient handling trainers protect both staff and patients.

40%

Of all nursing injuries involve patient handling activities

80,000

NHS staff injured from manual handling each year

35%

Of all workplace musculoskeletal disorders in healthcare involve patient handling

£3.2 billion

Annual cost of patient handling injuries to the NHS

1 in 3

Healthcare workers suffer a back injury during their career

95%

Of patient handling incidents are preventable with proper training

Source: HSE / NHS Statistics 2023/24

Why Choose Abertay Training for Your Patient Handling Trainer Qualification

Recognised Qualification

Accredited course meeting UK regulations. Accepted by employers across the UK.

Complete Training Resources

Includes PowerPoint presentations, lesson plans, and assessment forms so you can start teaching immediately.

Expert Instructors

Learn from experienced professionals with extensive backgrounds in their specialist field and adult education.

Flexible Locations

Available at 10+ UK venues and fully online via live Zoom. In-house training available for groups of 6 or more.

Patient Handling Trainer Course FAQs

Patient handling trainer demonstrating safe patient transfer using a hoist in a care settingPatient handling training in the UK is governed by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended 2002), the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) for hoists and slings. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) also inspects care providers against safe moving and handling standards. NHS trusts and care providers must ensure all staff who move patients are trained and assessed as competent.
Manual handling training covers the safe movement of inanimate loads (boxes, equipment, materials) in any workplace. Patient handling (also called people moving and handling or person handling) covers the specific techniques, equipment, and risk assessment approaches used to move, transfer, and reposition people in healthcare and social care settings. Patient handling requires additional skills including communication with the patient, assessment of their mobility and condition, and the use of specialist equipment such as hoists, slings, slide sheets, and transfer boards.
Your Patient Handling Trainer certificate is valid for 3 years from the date of issue. Patient handling guidance, equipment, and best practice are updated regularly, so renewal training is essential to ensure your knowledge remains current. Abertay Training will send you a renewal reminder as your expiry date approaches.
The course covers all common patient handling equipment used in UK healthcare and social care settings, including: ceiling track hoists and mobile hoists; slings (types, selection, fitting, and inspection); slide sheets and transfer boards; standing and raising aids; profiling beds and mattresses; wheelchairs and transfer aids; and bath and shower equipment. You will learn how to assess the correct equipment for each patient and how to train others in safe equipment use.
A patient handling risk assessment is a systematic evaluation of the risks involved in moving a specific patient, taking into account: the patient's weight, height, and body shape; their level of co-operation and understanding; their medical condition and any contraindications; the environment (space, floor surface, equipment available); the task (transfer type, frequency, distance); and the individual staff members involved (training, fitness, experience). Your training covers how to carry out and document patient handling risk assessments.
Yes — the Patient Handling Trainer Award qualifies you to deliver accredited patient handling training to staff in NHS hospitals, care homes, domiciliary care agencies, hospices, and any other healthcare or social care setting. You will receive all the training materials, assessment tools, and competency assessment frameworks you need to start delivering training immediately.
The most common causes of back injury in healthcare workers include: lifting or transferring patients without adequate equipment or assistance; poor posture during patient care tasks; repetitive bending and twisting; working in confined spaces with limited room to manoeuvre; fatigue from long shifts; and inadequate training in safe handling techniques. Back injuries are the leading cause of long-term sickness absence among NHS staff, making patient handling training one of the most important investments a healthcare organisation can make.
A 'no-lift' policy means that staff should never manually lift patients — all patient transfers must use appropriate equipment and techniques. While the term 'no-lift' is sometimes criticised as overly rigid, the underlying principle — that manual lifting of patients should be avoided wherever possible and replaced with safer handling techniques and equipment — remains best practice and is supported by the Manual Handling Operations Regulations. Your training covers how to implement a safe handling policy that is practical and effective.
Course Information

Duration

2 Days (10am – 4:30pm)

Qualification

SafeCert Level 3 + PDLSG

Price

£395 + VAT per person

Locations

UK-wide venues + Online Zoom

Group bookings available for 6+ people

Request a Quick Callback - One of our friendly team will be in touch within 2 working hoursPatient Handling Trainer Course Information Download - Abertay Training UK
UK Patient Handling Statistics 2023/24 - 40% of all nursing injuries involve patient handling, 80,000 NHS staff injured from manual handling each year, patient handling accounts for 35% of all workplace musculoskeletal disorders in healthcare, £3.2 billion annual cost to NHS, 1 in 3 healthcare workers suffer back injury, 95% of incidents preventable with proper training
this course E-Learning Course — online health and safety training from Abertay TrainingFree this course quiz — test your knowledge with our interactive quiz

Accreditations

Abertay Training is accredited and certified by the UK's leading health, safety and quality bodies.

  • SafeCert Awards

    Abertay Training is an approved SafeCert Awarding Centre, delivering nationally recognised trainer qualifications accredited by SafeCert Awards — the UK's leading awarding body for health and safety training.

  • SafeCert CPD

    All Abertay Training courses are CPD (Continuing Professional Development) accredited by SafeCert, meaning delegates can count their training towards their annual CPD requirements.

  • IOSH Managing Safely

    Abertay Training is an approved provider of IOSH Managing Safely, the world's most popular health and safety qualification for managers and supervisors, awarded by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.

  • IOSH Working Safely

    Abertay Training is an approved provider of IOSH Working Safely, the internationally recognised health and safety qualification for all levels of the workforce, awarded by IOSH.

  • IFE Affiliate

    Abertay Training is an affiliate organisation of the Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), confirming that our fire safety trainer courses meet the professional standards set by the IFE.

  • ISO 9001 Quality

    Abertay Training holds ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification, independently audited by ISOQAR and accredited by UKAS, demonstrating our commitment to consistent, high-quality training delivery.

  • ISO 14001 Environmental

    Abertay Training holds ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification, demonstrating our commitment to minimising environmental impact across all our training operations.

  • ISO 45001 Safety

    Abertay Training holds ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System certification, the international standard for workplace health and safety, independently audited by ISOQAR and accredited by UKAS.

  • Backcare Member

    Abertay Training is a Professional Member of Backcare, the UK charity for back and neck pain. This membership confirms that our manual handling and patient handling trainer courses meet Backcare's professional standards.

  • RoSPA Member

    Abertay Training is a member of RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), the UK's leading safety organisation, reinforcing our commitment to the highest standards of health and safety training.

Abertay Training holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 certifications, is a SafeCert Approved Centre, an approved provider of IOSH Managing Safely and IOSH Working Safely, an IFE Affiliate, and a professional member of Backcare and RoSPA.

Venue Information

Choose your preferred training location. All venues offer the same high-quality course with full certification.

Online Zoom

Location

Learn from anywhere in the UK

Contact

0333 500 5000

Course Hours

10:00 AM - 4:30 PM (2 days)

✓ Online Course Benefits

  • • No travel costs - save time and money
  • • Same Level 3 SafeCert certification
  • • Live instructor via Zoom (not recorded)
  • • All trainer resources included
  • • Interactive practical demonstrations
Online Zoom training session with professional instructor

What Our Students Say

4.8(5 verified reviews)
✓ Verified

"Excellent course, very well structured and the trainer was knowledgeable and engaging. I feel fully prepared to deliver training in my workplace."

Sarah Mitchell

HR Manager, NHS Trust

Edinburgh · November 2024

✓ Verified

"Outstanding training experience. The practical elements were particularly valuable and I now have the confidence to train my colleagues effectively."

James Robertson

Health & Safety Officer, Construction Ltd

Glasgow · October 2024

✓ Verified

"Very professional and thorough. The course exceeded my expectations and I would highly recommend Abertay Training to anyone looking to become a qualified trainer."

Emma Thompson

Team Leader, Care Home Group

Dundee · September 2024

✓ Verified

"Great course content and delivery. The materials provided are excellent and will be very useful when I deliver training to my team."

Michael Chen

Operations Manager, Manufacturing Co

Aberdeen · August 2024

✓ Verified

"Brilliant experience from start to finish. The online booking was easy, the venue was excellent, and the training itself was first class."

Lisa Anderson

Training Coordinator, Local Authority

Perth · July 2024