A patient transfer apparatus (20) to assist the movement of a motionless patient on a support surface (22), the apparatus comprising: an elongated tube (24) with open ends formed from at least one sheet material, so that when it is arranged flattened on the support surface it forms first and second tube portions with internal surfaces that fit together and capable of sliding relative to each other, in which the elongated tube with open ends is formed from a flexible sheet material that is foldable on the support surface； and a plurality of flap portions (34, 36, 38, 40) of the sheet material extending from at least one open end (30, 32) of the tube with open ends, characterized in that a first partial circumference at a first end (30) of the elongated tube with open ends extends inside a first portion (36) of upper flap of the flexible sheet material and a second partial circumference in the first end of the elongated tube with open ends extends inside a first lower flap portion (34) of the flexible sheet material, wherein the first lower flap portion of the flexible sheet material extends beyond the first upper flap portion of the flexible sheet material and a third partial circumferential in a second end (32) of the elongated tube with open ends extends inside a second upper portion (38) of the upper flap of the flexible sheet material and a fourth The partial circumference at the second end of the elongate tube with open ends extends into a second lower flap portion (40) of the flexible sheet material, in which the second upper flap portion of the flexible sheet material extends further beyond the second lower flap portion of the flexible sheet material, whereby when the first upper flap portion of the flexible sheet material and the second upper flap portion of the flexible sheet material is folded over the support surface they remain substantially coplanar and supporting the patient and the first lower flap portion of the flexible sheet material and the second
