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Select Physiotherapy

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Manual Handling Training

Safe handling. Confident staff. Fewer injuries. Physiotherapist-led manual handling training for any workplace where your team moves people or heavy loads, with deep aged-care expertise.

Enquire about training Call 07 847 4974
A physiotherapist guiding safe patient handling technique

At Select Physiotherapy, we provide practical, physiotherapist-led Manual Handling Training tailored to your workplace (from aged care, healthcare and disability support to warehousing, construction, retail and more), across Hamilton, Cambridge and the Greater Waikato.

Our training focuses on safe patient handling, effective transfer techniques, injury prevention, and building staff confidence when assisting residents with varying mobility and care needs, combining clinical expertise with hands-on practice staff can apply straight away.

Led by

Sara George, Founder, Director & Senior Physiotherapist

Over 21 years' physiotherapy experience across New Zealand and India, with deep expertise in aged-care rehabilitation, mobility and transfer assessments, falls prevention, dementia care and complex resident management.

What we cover

Our training programmes

Every programme is customised around your facility's resident needs, equipment and staff experience.

  • Safe patient handling & transfers

    • Safe bed mobility, repositioning and turning techniques
    • Sit-to-stand and stand-to-sit transfers
    • Bed-to-chair, wheelchair and toilet transfers
    • Safe assistance with walking and mobility
    • Appropriate levels of staff assistance for transfers

  • Hoist & transfer equipment training

    • Full sling hoist operation and safe handling techniques
    • Standing hoist and Sara Stedy transfer techniques
    • Correct use of slide sheets and transfer aids
    • Safe wheelchair positioning and transfer preparation
    • Equipment selection based on mobility and functional ability

  • Injury prevention & staff safety

    • Safe body mechanics and handling principles
    • Identifying and minimising manual handling risks
    • Preventing musculoskeletal injuries among staff
    • Recognising unsafe transfers and handling practices
    • Promoting safe, consistent handling procedures

  • Complex resident handling

    • Safe transfers for residents with dementia or cognitive impairment
    • Managing residents with reduced weight-bearing ability
    • Handling residents with neurological conditions and mobility limitations
    • Adapting transfer techniques to changing resident abilities
    • Supporting residents with complex rehabilitation and care needs
A physiotherapist working with an older adult on hand mobility

Why Select

Training that goes beyond theory

Clinically informed, practical and built around the real challenges your team faces every day.

  • Extensive aged-care experience

    Training is led by Sara George, Founder, Director and Senior Physiotherapist, with over 21 years' physiotherapy experience across New Zealand and India in aged-care, rehabilitation and community healthcare.

  • Practical, hands-on training

    Our programmes focus on real-world situations, so staff practise safe handling using equipment commonly available in their workplace.

  • Tailored to your facility

    Every facility has different resident needs, equipment and staffing. We customise training around your team's daily care responsibilities.

  • Staff confidence & resident safety

    We equip staff with the knowledge, skills and confidence to assist residents safely, promoting comfort, dignity and independence.

  • On-site training

    We deliver training on-site at aged-care facilities, rest homes and retirement villages across Hamilton, Cambridge and the Greater Waikato.

Who it's for

Workplaces we train

Manual handling risk is everywhere staff lift, carry, push, pull or assist people to move. We train teams across many sectors, including:

  • Aged care & retirement villages
  • Hospitals & healthcare facilities
  • Disability & community support services
  • Home & community care services
  • Warehousing, logistics & delivery
  • Manufacturing & processing
  • Construction & maintenance
  • Retail & supermarkets
  • Hospitality & commercial kitchens
  • Cleaning & laundry services
  • Agriculture & horticulture
  • Early childhood education & schools
A confident healthcare worker in an aged-care facility

FAQs

Manual handling training: common questions

Is the training delivered on-site or online?
We deliver it on-site at your workplace, so your team practises safe handling with the equipment, spaces and situations they actually work with every day. We tailor the session to your setting.
Do participants get a certificate?
Yes, participants receive a certificate of completion recording the training they've done, which you can keep for your training records.
How often should manual handling training be refreshed?
Good practice is to train new staff at induction and run a refresher around once a year, and sooner whenever a person's needs, the equipment or the task changes. We can set up induction and refresher training to suit your roster.
Does the training help meet our health & safety obligations?
Training is one part of a safe-handling system under New Zealand health and safety law, alongside risk assessment, the right equipment and good procedures. Our physiotherapist-led training supports your obligations and complements your existing policies.
Does it include risk assessment?
Yes. We cover assessing the person, the task, the environment and the available equipment before assisting any movement, so staff make safe decisions, not just follow a routine.
Which workplaces is it for?
Any workplace where staff lift, carry, push, pull or assist people to move: aged care and healthcare, disability and home-care services, warehousing and logistics, manufacturing, construction, retail, hospitality, cleaning, agriculture, and early childhood and schools.
How long is a session, and how many people can attend?
We tailor the length and group size to your team and keep groups small enough for genuine hands-on practice. Get in touch and we'll put together a programme that fits your staff and shifts.

Manual Handling Training

Invest in safer care and a more confident workforce

Talk to us about a customised Manual Handling Training programme for your facility, delivered on-site across the Waikato.

Enquire about training Call 07 847 4974