Health Play Specialist

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Isleworth; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits a motivated Health Play Specialist to join a dedicated Play Team at a leading NHS Trust. This role involves collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to provide therapeutic support and engaging play activities for young patients, ensuring their emotional and developmental needs are met during hospital stays. The successful candidate will leverage their expertise in child development and safeguarding to create a nurturing environment. Join a forward-thinking organization committed to equality and flexible working arrangements, where your contributions can significantly enhance patient care and experiences.

Qualifications

• Working knowledge of child development theories to support development through play.
• Excellent verbal and communication skills required for patient interaction.

Responsibilities

• Organizing play activities to meet the needs of patients and families.
• Providing high-level procedural support before, during, and after hospital procedures.

Skills

Verbal Communication

Child Development Theories

Safeguarding Processes

Patient Confidentiality

Education

Fda in Healthcare Play Specialism

Recognized Health Play Specialist Qualification

Job description

West Middlesex site base

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and motivated Health Play Specialist to join the Play Team at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital. The successful candidate will be working alongside a team of Play Support workers, Health Play Specialists, a Senior Health Play Specialist, and a Youth worker, as well as being part of the Multi-Disciplinary team. This role is based at West Middlesex, with cross cover to our other site at Chelsea and Westminster as required.

The Play and Youth Service works closely with Physiotherapists and provides joint MDT care within our wards.

The role requires excellent verbal and communication skills, a clear understanding of safeguarding processes, and patient confidentiality. The successful candidate will have a working knowledge of child development theories and how to implement them to support development through play. They will hold an Fda in Healthcare Play Specialism or a recognized health play specialist qualification and be registered with HPSET.

The Health Play Specialist will need to work both autonomously and as part of the team, organizing their work to meet the needs of patients and families.

Play and therapeutic support are central to a patient’s care pathway. The successful applicant will need to work creatively to ensure long-term patients have access to a variety of stimulating play activities and support, as well as providing high-level procedural support before, during, and after hospital procedures.

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, children’s services, and specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.

We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.

The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven’t heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.

Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

For further details or informal visits, contact:
Name: Hazel Rand
Job title: Play & Youth Service Team Lead
Email: [e-mail]
Telephone: [phone]