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Job overview

As the hospital play specialist, you will help to provide high quality, holistic play service for all children, young people, and their families within paediatrics enabling them to feel safe and at ease within the hospital environment. Use play as a tool to communicate and build a rapport with children and young people whilst attending as inpatients and outpatients.

The inpatient ward provides 26 beds for children  with acute and chronic illness, and injuries, and Children's Outpatients provides a wide range of services such as dressing changes, taking bloods, and giving medications. You will also work closely with colleagues in the children's emergency department. 

You will work alongside the MDT in creating a positive environment to ensure each child fulfils their full potential. You will provide interesting and stimulating play for children, young people and their families and highlight the importance of play in assisting an atraumatic experience and aiding distraction to all health professionals. You will use your knowledge of child development; plan, initiate and supervise play and recreational activities for children and young people, appropriate to their age, development, medical condition, and background, in order to meet their social, emotional and developmental play needs.

Main duties of the job

The Health Play Specialist’s main concern is the emotional welfare of children and young people.  In all the following responsibilities the health play specialist attempts to minimise the effects of hospitalisation, injury or ill health for the child or young person in hospital or in the community.

The Healthcare Play Specialist is responsible for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the play needs of the child.

Working for our organisation

 Why colleagues think we are "a great place to work!"

What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?

As part of our BHT family, you’ll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.

Alongside NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme, you'll have access to NHS discount schemes. 

We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.

What do we stand for?

Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.

Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.

We are working hard to increase diversity at all levels within the trust. We believe a diverse workforce can have a positive effect on both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes.

We welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities and care-experienced candidates.

We are proud to achieve the Gold award for the Armed Forces Covenant and support applications from the Armed Forces Community. Please contact [email protected] (our Armed Forces Covenant Lead) if you would like guidance or assistance with your application.

We make employment decisions by matching our service needs with the skills and experience of candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.