Job summary As a Band 5 Play Specialist, you will: Support children and young people in the Emergency Department through play and distraction therapy. Reduce anxiety and promote coping strategies during medical procedures. Provide age-appropriate activities tailored to the individual needs of patients. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure child-centred care. Educate and support families in understanding the hospital environment and their child's journey. Main duties of the job Assess the developmental and emotional needs of children in the Emergency Department. Develop and implement play plans that align with their care and treatment plans. Use specialist skills in distraction, preparation, and post-procedural play to minimise distress. Promote a safe, inclusive environment where children feel comfortable and supported. Act as an advocate for the child's well-being and emotional health. Participate in training sessions to share best practices with colleagues. About us Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers. The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients. Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together. We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment. Date posted 29 January 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 5 Salary £34,521 to £41,956 a year per annum Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number 259-6974029NUH Job locations Newham University Hospital London E13 8SL Job description Job 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 documents, please view the attachment/s below. Job description Job 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 documents, please view the attachment/s below. Person Specification Qualifications and Knowledge Essential Care Play Specialism Qualification (or international equivalent). Awareness of Children's safeguarding issues Experience Essential Experience during training or employment working with children within a hospital setting Significant (3-5 Years) experience in child care settings Experience /knowledge of different cultures and ethnic groups. Experience of working within multidisciplinary team. Knowledge/experience relating to consent, confidentiality and child protection. Skills Essential Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Excellent interpersonal skills Adaptable and able to deal with changing workloads Able to use initiative, work independently and prioritise workload A full understanding and ability to use play preparation, distraction therapy and post procedural play skills. Ability to supervise, teach and assess students and volunteers. Sensitive/ empathetic to children and their families in hospital Personal and People Development Essential Positive attitude and ability to work under pressure Takes responsibility for own learning Responsible for own IPR Registration with HPSET or CCLS Evidence of continued professional development Communication Essential Communicates in a manner that is consistent with relevant legislation, policies and procedures Communicates with people in a form and manner that: -Is consistent with their level of understanding, culture, background and preferred ways of communicating. Is appropriate to the purpose of the communication and the context in which it is taking place Encourages the effective participation of all involved Recognises and reflects on barriers to effective communication and modifies communication in response Is proactive in seeking out different styles and methods of communicating to assist longer term needs and aims Takes a proactive role in producing accurate and complete records of communication consistent with legislation, policies and procedures Person Specification Qualifications and Knowledge Essential Care Play Specialism Qualification (or international equivalent). Awareness of Children's safeguarding issues Experience Essential Experience during training or employment working with children within a hospital setting Significant (3-5 Years) experience in child care settings Experience /knowledge of different cultures and ethnic groups. Experience of working within multidisciplinary team. Knowledge/experience relating to consent, confidentiality and child protection. Skills Essential Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Excellent interpersonal skills Adaptable and able to deal with changing workloads Able to use initiative, work independently and prioritise workload A full understanding and ability to use play preparation, distraction therapy and post procedural play skills. Ability to supervise, teach and assess students and volunteers. Sensitive/ empathetic to children and their families in hospital Personal and People Development Essential Positive attitude and ability to work under pressure Takes responsibility for own learning Responsible for own IPR Registration with HPSET or CCLS Evidence of continued professional development Communication Essential Communicates in a manner that is consistent with relevant legislation, policies and procedures Communicates with people in a form and manner that: -Is consistent with their level of understanding, culture, background and preferred ways of communicating. Is appropriate to the purpose of the communication and the context in which it is taking place Encourages the effective participation of all involved Recognises and reflects on barriers to effective communication and modifies communication in response Is proactive in seeking out different styles and methods of communicating to assist longer term needs and aims Takes a proactive role in producing accurate and complete records of communication consistent with legislation, policies and procedures 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). Additional information 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). Employer details Employer name Barts Health NHS Trust Address Newham University Hospital London E13 8SL Employer's website https://www.bartshealth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)