Occupations and Terms of Reference › Wheelchair and stretcher operator
Universal terms of reference · POS-241 · version 1.0 · status: draft · next review 2027-10-27
Wheelchair and stretcher operator
To move patients in wheelchairs and on stretchers within the hospital, so that they arrive safely and comfortably.
Each part of this page links to the related trainings, competencies and policies. The links are the same for every facility, so an organisation can see at a glance what a role requires and what it is trained in.
Job description
Job summary. You move patients on wheelchairs and stretchers. You transfer patients safely, check brakes and equipment, and keep corridors clear.
Reports to: Patient transport driver (non-emergency).
Leads or supervises: No direct reports.
What you do on a typical day
- Check wheelchairs and stretchers before use.
- Transfer patients safely.
- Keep corridors and lifts clear.
- Report damaged equipment.
- Record moves where required.
Working conditions and demands
- Physical handling.
- Corridors can be busy.
- Works with frail patients.
What good looks like
- Patients move safely.
- Equipment is checked.
- Equipment faults are reported.
Place in the organogram
Reporting line, from the top: see the organogram on the Occupations page. The lines above and below this role are listed in section 3.
1. Golden rules
These rules apply in every setting.
- The right patient gets to the right care, at the right place, without avoidable delay.
- Patient safety comes before speed, cost or convenience.
- Clinical handover is complete and recorded every time.
- Vehicles, aircraft and equipment are checked and fit before every journey.
- Crews work within their scope of practice and call for help when out of their depth.
- Every incident and near miss is reported, and learning is shared.
- Staff and patients are protected from violence and harm during transport.
- Confidential patient information is protected in every journey and record.
2. Identification
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Position code | POS-241 |
| ISCO-08 | 9333 (skill level 4) |
| ESCO | to map |
| Department | Patient transport |
| Facility types | Hospital, Ambulatory, Transport, Medevac, Fitness, Aesthetic |
3. Reporting line and working relationships
Reports to: POS-239. Supervises: .
| Works with | Nature of the relationship |
|---|---|
| Patient transport driver (non-emergency) | Transfers and journeys. |
| Nursing and clinical teams | Patient readiness. |
| Patient transporter / porter | Moving equipment. |
4. Key accountabilities
| Domain | Accountability | Evidence of delivery | Checked | Linked competencies | Linked trainings | Linked policies | Standards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moves | Moves patients safely and with dignity. | No moving incidents | Monthly | C-01 | T-05 | POL-SAFEG | 2 |
| Equipment | Checks wheelchairs and stretchers before use. | Checks recorded each shift | Daily | C-02 | T-05 | – | 2 |
| Hazards | Reports hazards and damaged equipment at once. | Reports same shift | Daily | C-02 | T-05 | POL-INC | 2 |
5. Decision rights
| The post holder decides | Consults or escalates |
|---|---|
| Route choice within the hospital | Equipment that cannot be used safely (transport supervisor) |
| Order of moves within the day | Patients who cannot be moved safely (nurse in charge) |
6. Qualifications and experience
| ID | Qualification | Mandatory | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q-01 | Patient handling training certificate | Yes | Lifetime |
| ID | Experience | Minimum years | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-01 | Patient handling or portering experience | 0 | No |
7. Training requirements
Recommended common practice. Each facility adapts the list to its national law. Essential items apply in every setting; recommended items apply where resources allow.
| ID | Training | Tier | When | Validity | Linked policies | Linked competencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-01 | Facility induction | essential | at_entry | Once | POL-WHISTLE · POL-EQUAL · POL-DATA | – |
| T-02 | Safeguarding adults | essential | periodic | Every 3 year(s) | POL-SAFEG | – |
| T-03 | Safeguarding children | essential | periodic | Every 3 year(s) | POL-SAFEG | – |
| T-04 | Data protection and confidentiality | essential | annual | Every 1 year(s) | POL-DATA | – |
| T-05 | Incident reporting and open disclosure | essential | periodic | Every 2 year(s) | POL-INC | C-01 · C-02 |
| T-06 | Governance, accountability and assurance | recommended | periodic | Every 3 year(s) | – | – |
| T-07 | Emergency and major incident command | essential | annual | Every 1 year(s) | POL-INC | – |
| T-08 | Speaking up, inclusion and equality leadership | essential | periodic | Every 2 year(s) | POL-WHISTLE · POL-EQUAL | – |
8. Health, fitness and language
| ID | Requirement | Frequency | Tier | Minimum in low-resource settings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-03 | Fitness-to-work assessment at entry and after serious illness or injury | Every 12 months | recommended | Fitness check at entry |
| Language | Level | Mandatory |
|---|---|---|
| Official language of the country of practice | professional | Yes |
| English | working | Yes |
9. Competencies by level
| ID | Competency | Foundation | Practitioner | Expert | Assessed by | Revalidate | Linked trainings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-01 | Moving patients on wheelchairs and stretchers | Moves with help | Moves independently | Designs handling routines | Handling audit | Every 12 months | T-05 |
| C-02 | Equipment checks | Checks equipment | Reports faults | Designs check routines | Equipment audit | Every 12 months | T-05 |
10. Performance evaluation
- Probation: 6 months, with a sign-off review (recommended value).
- Appraisal: every 12 months against the competencies and indicators below.
| ID | Indicator | Target | Data source | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PI-01 | Moving incidents | 0 | incident register | Monthly |
| PI-02 | Equipment checks recorded | 100% | check records | Daily |
| PI-03 | Hazards reported same shift | 100% | hazard log | Daily |
11. Career ladder and promotion
| Level | Role | Minimum experience to move on | Qualifications | Competency minimums | Trainings required | Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive | Wheelchair and stretcher operator | 0 years (recommended) | Q-01 | C-01 foundation, C-02 foundation | T-05 | Executive appointment and performance review |
12. Policies the post holder follows
Each policy is a standard template that the facility adopts and adapts. Templates are maintained centrally, so every facility works from the same version.
POL-SAFEG · Safeguarding adults and children
Purpose: Protect patients from abuse, neglect and harm, and make sure every concern is recognised and acted on.
Scope: All staff, volunteers and contractors.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff, volunteers and contractors.
Key rules:
- Recognise signs of abuse and neglect and record them factually.
- Report every concern to the designated safeguarding lead the same shift.
- Do not investigate alone.
- Share information only as the safeguarding procedure allows.
POL-DATA · Data protection and confidentiality
Purpose: Keep patient and staff information private, secure and used only for care and legal purposes.
Scope: All staff who access records or systems.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff who access records or systems.
Key rules:
- Access only the records needed for your work.
- Keep records secure; do not leave screens or paper unattended.
- Do not share information without a lawful basis.
- Report any breach to the data protection officer within 24 hours.
Linked trainings: T-10 · Review every 12 months · Template 0.1 (draft)
POL-WHISTLE · Speaking up (whistleblowing)
Purpose: Let staff raise patient safety or conduct concerns without fear of reprisal.
Scope: All staff.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff.
Key rules:
- Raise a concern with your line manager or the named speaking-up officer.
- If that route fails, escalate to the board or the national regulator.
- Retaliation against anyone who speaks up is a disciplinary offence.
- Concerns are recorded, investigated and the outcome given to the person raising them.
Linked trainings: T-01 · Review every 12 months · Template 0.1 (draft)
POL-EQUAL · Equality, diversity and inclusion
Purpose: Give every patient and colleague fair access, respectful treatment and reasonable adjustments.
Scope: All staff and patients.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff and patients.
Key rules:
- Treat every person with dignity regardless of background.
- Make reasonable adjustments, including interpreters, for language and disability.
- Report discrimination through the speaking-up route.
- Monitor access and outcomes by group.
Linked trainings: T-01 · Review every 24 months · Template 0.1 (draft)
POL-INC · Incident reporting and open disclosure
Purpose: Report and learn from incidents and near misses, and tell patients honestly when things go wrong.
Scope: All staff.
Key rules:
Scope: All staff.
Key rules:
- Report every incident and near miss the same shift.
- Give the patient and family an honest account and an apology where appropriate (open disclosure).
- Take immediate action to protect others.
- Learn: contribute to the review and follow the agreed actions.
13. Standards that name this role
14. Record history
| Date | Change | Approved by |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-27 | Draft record, batch 1 of the position build | Awaiting approval |