Capability Scotland is reinforcing its commitment to postural care with our new Postural Care Policy and Procedure, ensuring best practices are embedded across all services. Why? Because good postural care prevents pain, fatigue, and long-term health and activity limitations, allowing the people we support to enjoy life with greater comfort, independence, and dignity.

Spearheaded by Tina Poole, our Occupational Therapist in Edinburgh, the new policy applies to all support staff, team leaders, and service managers, all of whom will receive training in the coming months, with an online e-learning module followed by practical instruction. Annual refreshers will ensure our teams stay up to date.

But postural care isn’t just about training; it’s about making small but crucial adjustments in everyday practice. Staff are expected to:

• Check seating and positioning when engaging with the people we support.
• Ensure correct use of postural care equipment, including splints, braces, and mobility supports.
• Encourage movement and engagement: from gentle stretching to self-propelling in wheelchairs.
• Identify and escalate concerns, using our Postural Screening Tool to aid referrals.
• Support informed decision-making, ensuring the people we support are assisted to understand the importance of postural care and, where needed, sign waivers if they opt out of specific equipment.

Postural care is everyone’s responsibility, and small actions lead to big improvements in quality of life. And we're making a host of resources available for you to learn about. Check them out here:

1. Tips for using Postural Care Communication Resource

2. Postural Care Message Posters

3. Health and Body Parts symbols

4. Bodily Functions Abilities and Difficulties symbols

5. Postures and position

6. Seating and Wheelchair symbols

7. Lying Standing Transfer Exercise Equipment symbols

8. Postural Care Equipment Waiver Form