Hospital Play Specialist inUxbridge inUxbridge PUBLISHED
TUE 29 OCT 2024
Responsibilities include organizing daily play activities, providing distraction and preparation for medical procedures, and fostering a child-friendly and safe environment. The play specialist will work closely with the multi-disciplinary team, provide support to families, and ensure educational needs are met for hospitalized children. A background in a similar role and strong organisational skills are critical for this position, which offers a structured yet flexible work schedule of 20 hours per week.
Band 3 / 4 Hospital Play Specialist (Depending on Qualification)
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Children's Day Care & Outpatients Department
20 Hours per week
(set shift pattern, with a need for flexibility)
Monday 08.00 - 13.30
Tuesday 08.00 - 13.30
Wednesday 11.30 - 17.00
Thursday 08.00 - 13.30
An exciting opportunity has arisen to appoint a new play specialist to our team.
The successful applicant will need to be motivated, calm under pressure, have good organisational skills and have a passion for entertaining and supporting children and young people with a variety of medical, surgical and complex needs, including mental health.
The role of the hospital play specialist is essential to supporting and helping children understand their health care experience. Through the development of strong relationships with the children and young people attending our service the successful applicant would be responsible for using play as a therapeutic tool to help children understand their illness and treatment.
Previous experience in a similar role and an ability to adapt to a changing environment are essential.
You will lead on play activities with children and young people who are in hospital and work closely with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure the child's hospital stay is a positive experience. The role also includes providing distraction therapy and play preparation when children are undergoing procedures and investigations as well as supervising and liaising with visitors to the ward. It will be the responsibility of the post holder to ensure the environment is child friendly and safe.
About us
Organise daily play services / activities for children of all ages with a variety of health needs either at the bedside or in the playroom.
Use theoretical knowledge and evidence-based practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic play interventions in hospital, including distraction and preparation techniques.
Provide play activities to achieve developmental goals or therapeutic targets.
Work alongside the multidisciplinary team contributing to clinical judgements through documentation and observation.
Provide support to families and siblings either resident with their child or visiting the childrens wards.
Support children and young people admitted with mental health crisis.
Ensure play therapy is available across all of the childrens areas within the Trust, cross covering for colleagues during period of absence.
Liaise with parents and schools as necessary to ensure the educational needs of hospitalised children are met.
Create a child focussed environment where play is encouraged.
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