Melanie Furness

Managing Editor of column

Melanie Furness BEM MSC RGN

I am currently a Moving and Handling Clinical Lead for Norfolk County Council.  The team provides advice, training and consultancy to health and social care staff across the county of Norfolk.

I qualified as a Registered Nurse 30 years ago and completed my MSc in Back Care Management, Loughborough University in 2008.

I am a regular presenter at national and international conferences specialising in falls management, care of the plus size person, person with dementia related illnesses and person-centred approach to moving and handling.  I am a co-author for Handling of People 6th Edition and Dementia Care:  A Behavioural Approach to Manual Handling.

I am currently chair of the East Anglia National Back Exchange Group, Royal College of Nursing Eastern Board Rep, member of Loughborough Patient Handling Alumni Group as well as Column Editor.

In 2022, I was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen's New Year Honours for Services to fundraising and to the local community.

 Julia Love     

Chair of Professional Affairs Committee (PAC)

Julia Love RGN ONC Advanced Member of NBE

Julia qualified as a Registered General Nurse at Guy’s Hospital in 1985, following Orthopaedic nurse training, and developing an early interest in safer moving & handling, becoming the moving and handling trainer for students, care assistants and qualified staff on her first ward as a newly qualified staff nurse. 

She started LPS Training with her physio husband in 1992 and currently delivers a variety of manual handling training in health, social care and special education settings.  She also undertakes individual risk assessments, delivering bespoke training for the carers and family of clients with complex handling issues. 

Julia was an author and co-editor of the Handling of People, 6^th Edition writing the chapter on Safer Hoisting, and co-wrote the NBE Hoisting leaflets.  Julia led a small working party to re-write the Skills for Health Moving and handling e-learning modules and led a group to revise the Moving and handling element of the Core Skills Training Framework.

She remains an active member of her local National Back Exchange group, having Chaired the group, as well as spending time on the National Executive Committee, as a Regional Officer, National Secretary and NBE Chair for 3 years.  She is currently the Chair of the NBE Professional Affairs Committee.

For information about PAC click HERE