Slide sheets for moving or repositioning a person: late-stage assessment

Slide sheets help reduce friction to make it easier to reposition or move someone on or from a bed or another surface. They reduce the overall musculoskeletal burden on the person doing the handling task, and minimise adverse events and increase comfort for the person being moved or repositioned. Slide sheets are used by a wide range of people in hospitals and the community, including healthcare professionals, care workers and carers (all referred to from here as 'carers').

All slide sheets consist of 2 layers of low-friction material. But, slide sheets can have some potentially innovative features:

• flat, tubular or hybrid design

• single use, single patient use or washable

• the material

• different friction-reducing coating

• different sizes, colours and packages

• designed to be removed after each use or to remain under the person (in situ)

• handles, straps, top clip loops and hook-and-loop fasteners

• space for labelling

• a dedicated storage bag.