Patient hoists and slings (all types) patient safety alert over risk of death and serious harm from falls

From the official notice

Published by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (NatPSA/2026/005/MHRA). Quoted as issued.

Summary

Fatal and serious harm continues to occur when patients fall from hoists or slings during transfers and repositioning. A review of recent incidents with a fatal outcome and wider surveillance data shows an average of two deaths per year since 2015.

The risk

Date of Issue: 16 September 2026

Reference No: NatPSA/2026/005/MHRA​

This alert is for action by: All those responsible for the use, purchase and/or maintenance of patient hoists, working within all acute and community healthcare organisations, care homes, nursing homes and care services supporting people in their own homes, and their equipment providers.

This is a safety critical and complex National Patient Safety Alert. Implementation should be coordinated by an executive leader

(or equivalent senior accountable person, such as a registered manager or responsible induvial, in organisations without executive boards).

Advice for healthcare professionals

1. Ensure that standardised pre-use checks are in place and completed for all hoists and slings (aligned with manufacturer’s IFU) to identify unsafe states. Pre-use checks should include a pause-and-check step after initial load take-up but before the patient is entirely lifted to verify that all sling attachment points are securely attached before proceeding.

2. Review and document the compatibility of all hoists and sling combinations in use across your organisation. In exceptional circumstances, where compatibility cannot be confirmed through the manufacturer’s IFU, a risk assessment with supporting technical evidence must be completed by a qualified person. Maintain a local register of approved combinations and ensure this is accessible to all relevant staff.

3. Review the medical device management systems (inventory/database) for your organisation to ensure all patient hoists and slings, including those provided to a community setting, are identified and recorded. These must include maintenance, LOLER examination and device replacement plans.

4. Ensure all hoists are maintained, serviced and examined under LOLER and in accordance with manufacturer’s IFU, with records kept up to date. Remove from service any hoist with overdue examinations or unresolved defects. Slings should be regularly checked in line with manufacturer instructions.

5. Ensure staff receive role-appropriate training with regular updates. Training should cover use in accordance with manufacturer’s IFU, pre-use checks, hoist-sling compatibility, correct fitting and attachment, identification of unsafe states, and how to stop, escalate and report concerns. Training records must be maintained.

Open the MHRA notice