Redland Hospital’s Medical Imaging Department is getting a leg-up on safer patient handling in 2026, thanks to a dedicated team of frontline staff.
The Bayside safety enhancement initiative consolidates improved patient handling policies and state-of-the-art equipment to deliver safer, more person-centred care at the growing Bayside unit.
Radiographer and Health and Safety representative Chris Payne and his team are behind the project, which was launched in tandem with the Metro South Health Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) Action Plan 2025–2027.
With MSD accounting for 41 percent of all serious workers’ compensation claims, the changes are supporting safer care at both sides of the health system.
“The number of patients we see has increased significantly over the last five years, and we’re scanning 2–3 times as many patients across CT, X-ray and ultrasound. That workload increases the risk of injury to both patients and staff,” Chris explained.
“With an ageing population, we are also conducting significantly more patient slides, which is a major contributor to staff injury risk. Our goal is to deliver a safer service for both staff and patients, with fewer injuries.”
Patient Handling policy improvements are a cornerstone of the project, which consolidates policy and practical changes to deliver best patient outcomes, while mitigating physical risk to staff.
“With the redevelopment of the CT rooms and two new CT scanners, we have added bed ladders and a sit assist for staff to use when patients require assistance getting up from the imaging table,” Chris explained.
The CT redevelopment includes a bariatric ceiling hoist in the CT room, to aid in manual handling of patients with decreased mobility.
“Importantly, these measures help staff conform with Metro South Health’s no-lift policy, keeping staff and patients safe.”
With staff training underway, Chris and his team are confident the changes will improve patient handling practices and mitigate the risk of injury to staff and patients.
“We are continually working to match our staffing levels with our workload requirements to prevent injuries and burnout, and we’re always looking for new ways to align our OH&S policies and procedures with best practice so our staff as well as our patients experience the best possible outcomes,” he explained.
The team look forward to growing the service as they rise to meet the challenge of increased demand and the evolving needs of the community into the future.
“Any safety improvements greatly improve our work environment and ensuring our staff are not injured in the workplace is essential.
“Hopefully we can continue to grow and provide a great service to the Redland Hospital and our community.”