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Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency gov.uk

MHRA Safety Roundup: September 2026

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National Patient Safety Alert: Patient hoists and slings (all types): risk of death and serious harm from falls (NatPSA/2026/005/MHRA)

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. This is not confined to any manufacturer, model, or care setting. The most common causes of fatal and serious patient falls from hoists include:

  • Detachment at critical load-bearing interfaces, including spreader bar hooks, clips, carabiners, fasteners, or other parts that are missing, worn, damaged or incorrectly assembled.
  • Incompatible hoist and sling combinations, including use of third-party slings not validated for the specific hoist.
  • Failure to identify damaged or incorrectly seated sling loops, or incorrect attachment to spreader bars during fitting and use.
  • Failure to conduct effective pre-use checks that would identify unsafe equipment.
  • Inadequate or overdue maintenance, servicing and examination under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). This included continued use of a hoist or component parts beyond their indicated service life without risk assessment.
  • Use of wrong size or type of sling for the patient.
  • Insufficient staff training and competence assessment for the relevant hoist and sling types, including failure to follow correct manual handling procedures.
  • Non-compliance with manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU)

    • Radiofrequency (RF) Safety Considerations for Wireless Cardiotocography (CTG) Monitoring Systems (DSI/2026/012)

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    September 29, 2026 14:00
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