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Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Apprentice Hospital Play Specialist
Swindon On-site 0-2 yrs exp Hospitals and Health Care 1,836 employees
ChildcareTherapeutic PlayDevelopmental PlayEmotional SupportPatient Care
Requirements
Must possess a Level 3 professional childcare qualification or equivalent and GCSE English and Maths. Requires post-qualification experience in a childcare or healthcare setting and a willingness to complete a Level 5 Health Play Specialist Apprenticeship.
Job Description
Job Summary
The post holder will be one of a team of play specialists. You will work to ensure high quality play provision for patients and siblings. Prepare the child and family for treatments and procedures. Facilitate emotional support and help to establish coping strategies. The post will be predominantly in the children's unit, but also you may be required in other areas of the hospital where children are being cared for.
This is an apprenticeship role, and the post holder will be required to gain substantial new knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) as part of the apprenticeship standard and undertake a range of duties relevant to the role. *The post holder will complete a Level 5 Health Play Specialist Apprenticeship Standard with Southampton Solent University.
Successful candidates will be appointed at Band 3 , 2 year secondment /Fixed term contract while undertaking the Play Specialist Apprenticeship. On successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will progress to a permanent Band 4 Play Specialist position.
Main duties of the job
A hospital play specialists main duties include implementing therapeutic and developmental play to help children cope with illness and hospitalisation, preparing them for medical procedures through age-appropriate explanations and play techniques, and supporting their emotional well-being by reducing anxiety and distress. They also work to maintain cognitive, social, and physical development during hospital stays, collaborate with families and healthcare teams to improve communication and involvement, and advocate for the child's needs to ensure a positive, child-centered care experience.
About Us
Our STAR values - Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect - are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.
Job Description
Job responsibilities
Provide and maintain a safe, childfriendly, welcoming environment that promotes play, normality, and routine during hospital admission. Create, plan, and implement individual and group play programmes, adapting activities to accommodate the childs medical needs, frequent interruptions, and any physical, environmental, or emotional limitations.
Please See Attached Full Job Description
Person Specification
Qualifications
Qualifications Essential
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .
The post holder will be one of a team of play specialists. You will work to ensure high quality play provision for patients and siblings. Prepare the child and family for treatments and procedures. Facilitate emotional support and help to establish coping strategies. The post will be predominantly in the children's unit, but also you may be required in other areas of the hospital where children are being cared for.
This is an apprenticeship role, and the post holder will be required to gain substantial new knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) as part of the apprenticeship standard and undertake a range of duties relevant to the role. *The post holder will complete a Level 5 Health Play Specialist Apprenticeship Standard with Southampton Solent University.
Successful candidates will be appointed at Band 3 , 2 year secondment /Fixed term contract while undertaking the Play Specialist Apprenticeship. On successful completion of the apprenticeship, you will progress to a permanent Band 4 Play Specialist position.
Main duties of the job
A hospital play specialists main duties include implementing therapeutic and developmental play to help children cope with illness and hospitalisation, preparing them for medical procedures through age-appropriate explanations and play techniques, and supporting their emotional well-being by reducing anxiety and distress. They also work to maintain cognitive, social, and physical development during hospital stays, collaborate with families and healthcare teams to improve communication and involvement, and advocate for the child's needs to ensure a positive, child-centered care experience.
About Us
Our STAR values - Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect - are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.
Job Description
Job responsibilities
Provide and maintain a safe, childfriendly, welcoming environment that promotes play, normality, and routine during hospital admission. Create, plan, and implement individual and group play programmes, adapting activities to accommodate the childs medical needs, frequent interruptions, and any physical, environmental, or emotional limitations.
Please See Attached Full Job Description
Person Specification
Qualifications
Qualifications Essential
- Professional childcare qualification level 3 or equivalent and a willingness to work towards the HPS qualification.
- English and Maths GCSE A- C or Levels 9-4 or equivalent qualifications
- Post qualification experience within a childcare or healthcare setting
- Experience of working with children with special needs or challenging behaviours
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .
Education
Professional Certificate
Skills
ChildcareTherapeutic PlayDevelopmental PlayEmotional SupportPatient CareHealthcare SupportCommunicationChild AdvocacyAnxiety ReductionLesson PlanningSpecial Needs Support
About Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the top three Trusts to work for in the South West. We employ almost 5,500 staff and serve a population of over 750,000 across Wiltshire and neighbouring counties. Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides acute hospital services (at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon) and community health services across Wiltshire. These services include community hospitals, community nursing and therapy, and children's and young people's services.
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