Play Assistant

Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust; Milnrow; On-site; GBP 19,000 - 23,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave allowance

Flexible working opportunities

Protected health and wellbeing hours

Job summary

The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Play Assistant for the Paediatric ED team at the Royal Oldham Hospital. You will provide age-appropriate play, distraction and recreation to children and families to ease their hospital experience and reduce anxiety.

You will work with the multidisciplinary team to support each patient’s emotional and social development, ensuring play equipment is safe and well maintained while adhering to family-centred care principles.

Qualifications

• Five GCSEs including Maths and English.
• Experience working with children in any setting is preferred.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to work well in a team and understand safeguarding.

Responsibilities

• Organise and supervise age-appropriate play and recreational activities for children in the Paediatric ED.
• Create a safe, engaging environment and maintain play equipment.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary team to support patient and family needs.
• Record appropriate notes in patient records and uphold safeguarding procedures.

Skills

GCSE five subjects (incl Maths & Eng)

Teamworking

Excellent communication

Child protection awareness

Education

GCSEs in five subjects including Maths & English

Job description

The Emergency Department (ED) at the Royal Oldham Hospital are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a Play Assistant to join the experienced and dynamic Paediatric team of ED. We are seeking a motivated, enthusiastic, trustworthy and passionate Play Assistant to provide the best experience whilst working in a hospital environment in meeting the healthcare needs of children and young people plus their families through the provision of age-appropriate play, distraction and recreational activities, helping to make their healthcare experience enjoyable and reduce anxiety. You will support the multi-disciplinary team and be an advocate for the patients by creating a stimulating environment and activates for the patients and their families to meet their personal, emotional and social developmental needs while in hospital. e play and distraction for children and young people attending the Paediatric Area of the Emergency Department, working within a philosophy of family centred care. To ensure play equipment is used effectively and maintained appropriately. To assess, plan, implement and evaluate play and distraction for children and young people attending the Paediatric Area of the Emergency Department, working within a philosophy of family centred care. To ensure play equipment is used effectively and maintained appropriately., Ensure the Paediatric area of the emergency department has a range of activities available to children and their families daily - supporting activities as appropriate To organise and supervise age-appropriate play/ recreational activities for individual and groups of children and young people in the Emergency Department, according to their individual needs and plan Work closely with the child, their family and the multi-disciplinary team to provide therapeutic play as appropriate Provide a safe environment for children attending the department by ensuring all play equipment is clean and safe to use at all times, reporting and removing Work within the philosophy of child and family centred care Actively safeguard the welfare of children and evolve any safeguarding concerns and implement child protection procedures accordingly Ensure accurate and appropriate written documentation is recorded in patients notes To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of children and young people and their families and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs Ensure dignity of care/needs are met for every patient Provide procedural preparation through play and distraction

• GCSE qualifications in five subjects, including Maths and English
• One year experience of working with children in any setting
• Experience of working in a team
• Excellent oral and written skills
• Excellent team building and team working skills
• An awareness of child protection issues

The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NCA) provides hospital and integrated health and social care services to over one million people living across Greater Manchester. Our 20,000 colleagues care for people in hospital and in the community, working across Bury, Rochdale, Oldham and Salford, to save and improve lives. As a large NHS trust we are committed to enhancing the health of our local population by delivering consistently high standards of care and working closely with local authorities and key partners. We believe in our power and potential to make a difference and we're always looking for people who demonstrate our three core values - care, appreciate and inspire - to join our team. In return, we can offer you a job role with purpose and flexibility. The size and scale of the NCA means we can provide more challenge and opportunities so your career can always be moving in the right direction.

• By joining us you can also access a competitive benefits package, including, a fantastic annual leave allowance, flexible working opportunities and protected hours for health and wellbeing activities, helping you to achieve more personal downtime and a better work-life balance.