Hospital Play Specialist

NHS; Lancashire; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in the UK is seeking a Play Specialist to provide emotional and developmental support to children in a hospital setting. The role involves organizing therapeutic play activities and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to facilitate the children's adjustment to the hospital environment. Ideal candidates will have qualifications in Play Therapy and a passion for promoting well-being in young patients.

Qualifications

• Essential: Qualification in Play Specialist / Therapy.
• Desirable: Previous experience as a Play Specialist.

Responsibilities

• Promote the emotional well being of children and young people in hospital.
• Organise distraction and therapeutic play activities.
• Assist with preparing children for procedures using role play.

Skills

Qualification in Play Specialist / Therapy

Basic English and Maths Qualification

Education

Qualification in Play Specialist / Therapy

Job description

Job Summary

The postholder will: provide specialist knowledge and experience of hospital play to members of the multidisciplinary team. Through play, help to bridge the gap between hospital and home, thereby easing the adjustment of children and their families to a strange and sometimes frightening environment. provide interesting and stimulating play programmes for sick children and their siblings in an effort to fulfil emotional, social and developmental needs and help alleviate emotional trauma within families.

Main duties of the job

• Promote the emotional well being of children and young people in hospital, working across all areas of the Children\'s Unit.
• Organise distraction, therapeutic and creative play activities to ease the adjustment from home to hospital and ensure continued stimulation throughout each child\'s stay or visit.
• Receive daily verbal reports on child\'s medical condition. Adapt play to the individual needs of each child according to age, understanding and condition.
• Assist with preparing children and young people for procedures/surgery, using therapeutic role play to familiarise children with strange apparatus and techniques.
• Develop specific play programmes for long stay children and young people.
• Provide specific support to individual children as identified by Consultant Paediatrician.
• Develop supportive relationships with parents enabling them to understand the value of play within the hospital environment and encourage them to identify opportunities for parent and child to play together.
• Communicate with the multidisciplinary teams especially nursing and education staff, reporting any concerns about a child to the appropriate personnel. Use play based observations to contribute to clinical discussions.
• Support children attending as a day case/out patient/ward attender.
• Have a knowledge of basic child protection issues and understand the procedures to follow when there is cause for concern

About Us

We operate from three main hospitals-Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal, as well as a number of community healthcare premises including Millom Hospital and GP Practice, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and Ulverston Community Health Centre.

FGH and the RLI have a range of General Hospital services, with full Emergency Departments, Critical/Coronary Care units and various Consultant-led services.

WGH provides a range of General Hospital services, together with an Urgent Treatment Centre, that can help with a range of non-life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses.

All three main hospitals provide a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, daycase and inpatient surgery. In addition, a range of local outreach services and diagnostics are provided from community facilities across Morecambe Bay.

Details

Date posted: 16 September 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: 4

Salary: £27,485 to £30,162 a year Per annum pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 331-L18850925

Job locations: Lancaster Royal Infirmary, Ashton Road, Lancaster, LA1 4RP

Job Description

Job responsibilities: To read more information about the advertised role, and the main job duties/responsibilities please open the Job Description and Person Specification located under the supporting documents heading. You can also read more information about University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay visiting our website https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk/

Person Specification

Qualification

Essential: Qualification in Play Specialist / Therapy

Desirable: Previous experience as a Play Specialist

Questions on Scenarios

Essential: Qualification in Speciality; Basic English and Maths Qualification

Desirable: Previous NHS Experience; Most recent Play Specialist experience

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 to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust

Address: Lancaster Royal Infirmary, Ashton Road, Lancaster, LA1 4RP

Employer\'s website: https://www.uhmb.nhs.uk