Health Playworker

Integrated Care System; Bristol; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Bristol is seeking a Health Playworker to support children in a hospital setting. The role involves organizing play activities, ensuring safety, and providing distraction during medical procedures. Candidates should have an NVQ level 3 in play or equivalent along with experience working with children and young people. This is a full-time position committed to improving emotional and developmental needs of patients.

Qualifications

• Experience working as a team member and an individual.
• Documented evidence of continued professional development.

Responsibilities

• Create an interesting and stimulating environment for play.
• Organise activities encouraging children to engage.
• Provide play distraction during medical procedures.

Skills

Working with children/young people in a play/education or hospital setting

Ability to provide creative activities

Good organisation skills

Health, safety, infection control awareness

Education

NVQ level 3 in play or equivalent

3 GCSE's/levels including maths and English grade 2/c and above

Job description

Go back University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)

Health Playworker

The closing date is 10 August 2025

The post holder will be a member of the play department providing inclusive play service within the activity centre and throughout the hospital.

To work within the structure of the play department referring to the health play specialist, team leads or the play service manager when necessary.

The post holder will be assigned to a specific area but would be expected to work in other areas as required.

The post holder will hold a level 3 play or equivalent qualification with 2 years work experience in a

Main duties of the job

• Create an interesting, stimulating and fun environment, where children and their siblings can play normally to fulfil their emotional, social and development needs.
• Organise activities at the bedside or within the play areas that encourages children and young people to engage with activities.
• Use your knowledge and understanding of child development when selecting play and recreational activities to support the child's/young person's level of development through normalising and developmental play.
• Provide play distraction before, during and after medical procedures in line with the play team referral process, under the supervision of the senior play team
• Maintain a clean and safe child focussed environment adhering to trust health and safety policies. Continually risk assessing areas and resources.

Be responsible for the safety and wellbeing of the patient in their care. Escalate medical or social concerns to the appropriate member of staff

About us

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward- thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Job responsibilities

Please see Job Description and Person Specification for more details about the main duties and responsibilities for the role.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experince

• oWorking with children/young people in a play/education or hospital setting
• oWorking as a team member and as individual
• oWorking with parent/careers and extended family
• oDocumented evidence of continued professional development

skills & Abilites

• oAbility to work with and provide creative activities to individuals and groups of children and young people
• oGood organisation skills
• oHealth, safety, infection control and risk awareness
• oTake responsibility of own actions and promotes good team working
• oGood basic IT skills

Aptiudes

• oAdaptable to a busy work environment
• oTreats others with courtesy and respect
• oBe a reflective learner

Qualifications & Training

• oNVQ level 3 in play or equivalent
• o3 GCES's/levels including maths and English grade 2/c and above
• oTraining/qualification that supports role i.e. sensory play, disability awareness, arts/crafts

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)