Senior Play Specialist

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Fulfil your potential in hospitals that make history:

Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St Mary's, Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea and Western Eye.

With five world-renowned hospitals, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is full of opportunity if you are looking to develop your healthcare career.

We are an NHS Trust of approximately 14,000 people, providing care for over a million and a half patients from north west London and beyond every year. We have a rich heritage and an ambitious vision for the future of our patients and local communities.

With our partners, Imperial College London, and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, we form Imperial College Academic Health Science Centre, one of 6 academic health science centres in the UK, working to ensure the rapid translation of research for better patient care and excellence in education.

We are proud of our heritage in innovation and we are early adopters of new insights in technologies, techniques and treatments for improving health.

Job overview

Cross site role - based at St. Mary's hospital.

We have an exciting opportunity to welcome an experienced Senior Healthcare Play Specialist to join our established play service.

It is a perfect opportunity for an accomplished, enthusiastic & dynamic play specialist to bring their specialist therapeutic play knowledge to the team. We welcome you to continue to grow and develop your skills with the support of a diverse multi-disciplinary team.

The children's services cover a wide range of specialities and include a dedicated Children's Intensive Care & trauma service. We have a developed Haematology service, which offers care for a range of conditions, including stem cell transplants & shared care oncology.

As a senior member of the team you will need to have significant post-qualifying experience. You should be able to work professionally and calmly under pressure and in complex situations with children, young people and families in difficulty.

You will be required to offer support & mentorship to play & wider team members, so excellent communication skills and building strong working relationships with colleagues at all levels are vital. Experience in a teaching/mentorship capacity would be valuable.

Staffing allocation within the play service is flexible due to the needs of the service and therefore changes may occur to department allocation to account for service needs & staff progression. If you would like to find out more about the post please make contact.

Main duties of the job

Use specialised therapeutic play & activity as a tool to support children/young people.

Assess patient's individual play needs as part of MDT care planning.

To use play as an assessment tool to assist with diagnosis & treatment.

Working professionally and calmly under pressure to support children, young people and families in difficult situations.

To work independently and as part of the wider team to support the needs of children & youngsters & provide advocacy

To engage easily with children/ young people, carers & staff. Including those with additional needs & communication needs..

Prioritise workload across busy departments

To supervise, support and mentor junior staff, students and volunteers.

To assist with the service planning and delivery of the play service

Support the therapeutic entertainment programme & liaise with charity partners.

Support teaching, education and additional management tasks.

Working for our organisation

At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care. Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You'll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career.

Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part-time or job share.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.

Person specification

EDUCATION

Essential criteria

• Edexcel Certificate in Hospital Play Specialism or HPSC/HPSEB or overseas equivalent Or Foundation degree in Healthcare Play Specialism
• Current registration with HPSET or overseas equivalent.
• Documented evidence of Continuing Professional Development (up to date professional portfolio)

Desirable criteria

• Additional training relevant to role
• Membership of Professional Body (NAHPS or CLC)

EXPERIENCE

Essential criteria

• Proven post qualifying experience including individual and group work with children from a diversity of backgrounds
• Varied & diverse clinical experience with a wide range of children and families in the hospital setting and community
• Experience with children with additional needs - including children with challenging behaviour, disabilities and sick children within specialist areas.
• Experience with family-centred work
• Experience of audit procedures

Desirable criteria

• Experience of formal teaching & concerning the area of play in hospital
• Experience of formal mentorship
• Experience with adolescents
• Experience with young people with mental health difficulties.

IMPORTANT:

We are conducting interviews virtually and face to face. If the interview is virtual we require candidates to have the camera on during the interview.

Please note it is an operational requirement to comply with infection prevention and control procedures within NWLP such as lateral flow testing, handwashing and the wearing of masks, according to the procedures in place at any time or location.

We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part-time or job share. Please talk to us at interview about flexibility you may need.

Please ensure you check your emails regularly throughout the recruitment process.

Please ensure you check your emails regularly as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process. If you are shortlisted you will be contacted by email and text message (if you provide a mobile contact number).

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• JD & PS (PDF, 1.6MB)
• Functional Requirements Form (PDF, 624.5KB)
• Our Strategy PDF, 230.4KB)