235539 Health Play Assistant (SNIS)

NHS National Services Scotland; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare service provider in Scotland seeks a Health Play Specialist to organise play and recreational activities for children and young people. The role involves assessing and implementing therapeutic play interventions, promoting the emotional needs of hospitalized children within a multidisciplinary team, and maintaining a child-focused environment. Candidates must have relevant compliance checks and demonstrate permission to work in the UK. This role supports disabled and neurodivergent candidates through adjusted policies.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of therapeutic play interventions.
• Ability to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate play activities.
• Understanding of the emotional needs of hospitalized children.

Responsibilities

• Organise play and recreational activities for children in various settings.
• Promote awareness of emotional needs within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Document therapeutic interventions and outcomes.

Job description

JOB PURPOSE

Working towards the achievement of Health Play Specialist.

The postholder will be responsible for organising play and recreational activities for all children and young people (patients and siblings) within a variety of settings in the Children’s Service and other areas of the Trust as required.

To manage and maintain a child focused environment where play occurs naturally.

To gain theoretical knowledge and evidence based practice in order to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic play interventions in hospital.

To document therapeutic interventions and outcomes.

To develop skills, knowledge and be responsible for own practice.

To promote awareness and understanding of the emotional needs of children in hospital, the psychosocial effects of hospitalisation and the importance of play, within the multi-disciplinary team.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

This post requires the post holder to have a PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check done than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by either the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.

For further information on what is included in the role and what skills/experience are being looked for, click on the links at the bottom of the screen to the job description and person specification. If after reading this information you have any questions, please contact [e-mail] or 0131 312 0364