The play specialist is a person with expert knowledge and experience of play with the well child and with the sick child/ young person. The play specialist is fully integrated member of the health professional’s team. The play specialist will work within the play service and ward/ team environment but also they will work independently using their own initiative, organisation, leadership, and time management. The play specialist will provide developmental, therapeutic and socialised play techniques for all ages and diversities in an effort to fulfil emotional, social and developmental needs and help alleviate emotional trauma within families.
They will help to bridge a gap between hospital and home, creating a positive environment and a positive patient journey. The play specialist will provide interesting and stimulating play programmes for children and young people. They will highlight the importance of play in assisting recovery and aiding development to all health professionals and students.
To be a communicating link with health care professionals between the child and the parents/carer including internal and external professionals.
Assess the needs and views of children and young people to provide developmental and therapeutic play activities creating an environment both comfortable and enjoyable.
Make time to listen to anxious children, young people and family members including siblings and help give emotional support when required. Document and communicate relative information to other health professionals.
Provide specialised distraction and post procedural play within a variety of clinics.
Provide normalising play for all inpatients.
Devise individual play sessions where appropriate and monitor the emotional well being of long term patients.
About us
Wye Valley NHS Trust is a member of an NHS Foundation Group with South Warwickshire University NHS FT , George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute NHS Hospitals Trust .
Located on the border with Wales in the shadow of the Black Mountains, we provide acute and community services across Herefordshire and into parts of Powys and run Hereford County Hospital and the community hospitals in Bromyard, Leominster and Ross-on-Wye.
We are a progressive and forward looking trust with ambitious plans to improve quality and integrate patient pathways through close collaborative working with our partners to deliver the quality of care wed want for our family and friends.
More than 3,000 people work for the Trust they tell us its a great place to work, blending the busyness of a DGH with the benefits of working in a beautiful rural and unspoilt county like Herefordshire.
We can offer a great work-life balance and have a fine tradition of working with staff to help them achieve their full potential.
Russell Hardy, Trust Chairman: “ The strength of the Trust is its amazing staff; a great place to work, a great place to develop your career and a great place to reach your potential. ”
Our values -Care, Accountability, Respect and Excellence - are at the heart of all we do. We believe in providing the right care in the right place at the right time.
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