Senior Health Play Specialist

Health Play Specialist

As a member of the multi‑professional team, you will use theoretical knowledge and evidence‑based practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic play interventions for children and young people in hospital.

• Manage and maintain a child‑focused environment where play occurs naturally.
• Take on individual referrals for children who struggle with hospital admission or procedures, using evidence‑based practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic interventions.
• Provide leadership for junior staff and students as delegated supervisor.

• Select and apply therapeutic assessments and devise play programmes for children and young people in hospital, according to their individual needs and as part of the overall care plan.
• Use knowledge of child development to plan and implement interventions to achieve therapeutic goals, in collaboration with the referrer, the child and their family.
• Monitor, evaluate and modify therapeutic interventions to measure a child’s progress and ensure effectiveness of the care plan.
• Prioritise caseload in accordance with individual/service needs.
• Support children and families under stress and in crisis.
• Act as a resource to the Play Team through development of identified areas of special interest relevant to the needs of the service.
• Provide training to other professional groups on play techniques and the role of the Health Play Specialist.
• Support the Lead Health Play Specialist with off‑duty, sickness and annual leave rota management.
• Provide support to the Lead Health Play Specialist, including deputising for them in their absence and on specific tasks and projects.
• Ensure the safe use of play equipment, contribute to the maintenance of a safe and tidy environment, and report any areas of risk.

Our vision is to provide outstanding care for every patient. Patient care is at the heart of what we do at our three sites:
Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester and Andover War Memorial Hospital. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of approximately 600,000 people across Hampshire and parts of West Berkshire, employing more than 9,000 staff with a turnover of over £500 million a year. Our cultural ambition is to create a culture that places people at the heart of all we do, where learning, improvement and excellence thrive.

Happy to talk about flexible and part‑time working – all requests will be considered.

• Mid‑Senior level

• Part‑time

• Health Care Provider

• Hospitals and Health Care