Care Home Statistics

The health and social care industry is a vital sector that offers care and assistance to the most vulnerable individuals in society. Nonetheless, it's a sector that involves a considerable amount of manual handling tasks, leading to potential injuries and musculoskeletal disorders. The Health and Safety Executive states that the health and social care sector records some of the highest instances of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in the UK. In the year 2019-2020, the health and social care sector reported 6500 instances of work-related musculoskeletal disorders under RIDDOR. Care homes within the health and social care sector are particularly vulnerable to injuries stemming from improper manual handling.

Care home staff frequently need to assist residents with tasks such as lifting, transferring, and repositioning, leading to possible injuries if these tasks aren't carried out correctly. The HSE indicates that manual handling is the most prevalent cause of workplace injuries in the health and social care sector, with over half of these injuries resulting from lifting and handling residents. The most common injuries resulting from poor manual handling in care homes within the health and social care sector are musculoskeletal disorders, which comprise injuries to the back, neck, shoulders, and upper limbs. These kinds of injuries can lead to enduring health issues, which can significantly affect the quality of life and the working capabilities of care home staff.