Bhsct Health Play Specialist Band 4 in Belfast

Advertised role location

ROYAL BELFAST HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN

Official document

Band 4 Play Specialist JD Sept 26 RBHSC 55836225_1 (doc)

JOB DESCRIPTION

POST

Play Specialist

LOCATION

Play Department RBHSC

GRADE

Band 4

HOURS

REPORTS TO

Play Services Manager

RESPONSIBLE TO

Assistant Services Manager RBHSC

JOB SUMMARY / MAIN PURPOSE

The Play Specialist is a person with expert knowledge and experience of play with the well child and with the sick child/young person. She/he is a fully integrated member of the Multi-Disciplinary Team. The Play Specialist will work within the Play Service and ward/department team but also she/he will work independently using their own initiative, organization and time management.

The Play Specialist will provide developmental, therapeutic and specialized play techniques for all ages and diversities in an effort to fulfil the emotional, social and developmental needs and help alleviate emotional trauma within families.

Supporting the patient, the Play Specialist will help the child through certain procedures by play preparation techniques and liaise with the Multi-Disciplinary Team to provide therapeutic and distraction play.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To organize, initiate and supervise activities in groups and individually to cater for the child’s physical, social, emotional, cultural and creative needs.
• Provide a safe, clean environment with a variety of activities for children from birth to adolescence, appropriate to their age and medical condition.
• To participate in the assessment of the play, developmental and emotional needs of individual children and to plan and implement play programmes as part of total care.
• Develop skills to be able to respond to referrals from the multidisciplinary team in order to support children through play preparations and play programmes.
• To alleviate the effects of hospitalization by providing emotional support and continuity of care for individual children through play preparation and diversional therapy.
• To form a supportive relationship with parents/carers and encourage parents and siblings to be involved in play.
• To teach the value of play for the children in hospital to parents, students and health care professionals.
• To liaise with other members of the health care team in the management of the child and his family in the hospital and the community.
• To devise play programmes for children and young people in hospital, according to their individual needs and as part of their care plan.
• To work flexibly and as part of a team to maintain an effective service for the child and families changing needs.
• Maintain high levels of patient confidentiality at all times.

PLAY

• To create an environment in which play occurs naturally at all times.
• Encourage play to maintain the child's link with family and home and to help the child adjust to the hospital situation.
• To provide appropriate play for normal growth (social, physical, cognitive and emotional) to continue during hospitalization.
• To help familiarize the child with unfamiliar equipment and procedures to reduce stress and anxiety and to help the child understand his/her treatment and illness.
• To observe the child's developmental and emotional level and report observations to the appropriate staff and help the child express and explore feeling.
• To observe and assess the child's anxieties and communicate these to the appropriate staff.
• To provide the appropriate remedial play to aid recovery.
• To encourage parents and all members of staff to participate in play.
• Create an attractive, child-orientated environment including the child's work.
• To provide play facilities for siblings as required.
• To oversee and take responsibility for the maintenance, provision, safety and cleanliness of the play equipment both in the areas in which you work and other play areas of the hospital. To take responsibility for control over the risk of infection within play equipment and play areas in accordance with Trust health and safety standards.
• To act in accordance with the Code of Professional Practice for Hospital Play Staff.

TEACHING AND EDUCATION

• To create an awareness in all members of the multi-disciplinary team of the value of play and the emotional needs of the child in hospital.
• Provide guidance, support and education to all staff regarding effective communication with children.
• Teach the importance and value of play for children and their families in hospital.
• Participate in a system of individual performance review. Review and reflect on own practice and performance through effective use of professional and clinical supervision.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Employees of the Trust are required to promote and support the mission and vision of the service for which they are responsible and:
• At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner.
• Demonstrate their commitment by their regular attendance and the efficient completion of all tasks allocated to them.
• Comply with the Trust’s Smoke Free Policy.
• Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with the Health and Safety Policies and Statutory Regulations.
• Adhere to Equality and Good Relations duties throughout the course of their employment.
• Ensure the ongoing confidence of the public in-service provision.
• Maintain high standards of personal accountability.
• Comply with the HPSS Code of Conduct.

RECORDS MANAGEMENT

All employees of Belfast Health & Social Care Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper based or electronic and also including e-mails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Regulations 2004, Data Protection Act 1998 and GDPR (2018). Employees are required to be conversant with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust policy and procedure on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.

ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING STRATEGY

The Trusts Environmental Cleaning Strategy recognizes the key principle that “Cleanliness matters is everyone’s responsibility, not just the cleaners”. Whilst there are staff employed who are responsible for cleaning services, all Trust staff have a responsibility to ensure a clean, comfortable, safe environment for patients, clients, residents, visitors, staff and members of the general public.

INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL

• Cleaning hands either with soap and water or a hand sanitiser at the appropriate times (WHO “ 5 moments ”);
• Using the correct “7 step ” hand hygiene technique;
• Being “bare below the elbows ” when in a clinical environment;
• Following Trust policies and the Regional Infection Control Manual (found on intranet);
• Wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);
• Ensuring correct handling and disposal of waste (including sharps) and laundry;
• Ensuring all medical devices (equipment) are decontaminated appropriately i.e. cleaned, disinfected and/or sterilised;
• Ensuring compliance with High Impact Interventions

Values

• Treating Everyone with Dignity and Respect
• Displaying Openness and Trust
• Being Accountable
• Being Leading Edge
• Maximizing Learning and Development

By embedding the above values, we will make a significant contribution to the delivery of the Trust’s Vision.

Personal Public Involvement

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community were relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information.

http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/PPI_leaflet.pdf

Clause

This job description is not meant to be definitive and may be amended to meet the changing needs of the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust.

JOB SPECIFICATION

TITLE OF POST

PLAY SPECIALIST

GRADE

Band 4

LOCATION

ROYAL BELFAST HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN, SPECIALIST HOSPITALS AND WOMEN’S HEALTH

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Qualifications/ Registration/Experience

Must be in possession of :
BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies or equivalent PLUS one year experience providing play in a hospital setting
OR
Diploma in,Specialised Play for Sick Children and Young People or Foundation Degree in Health Play Specialism OR equivalent PLUS one year experience providing play in a hospital setting

Experience of working as a team member

Shortlisting by Application
Form

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills / Abilities

Excellent communication skills both written and verbal.

Good interpersonal skills with clients, colleagues and carer’s.

Ability to use initiative and prioritise own workload.

Able to work flexible hours according to the needs of the service.

Show willingness to learn and develop self-practice.

Knowledge

Extensive knowledge and experience of normalising play for a wide age range (birth – adolescents).

Show knowledge of the effects of hospitalisation, treatment and illness on children and young people and their families.

Understanding of developmental, social and psychological needs of children, young people and their families.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

SECTION 3: these will ONLY be used where it is necessary to introduce additional job related criteria to ensure files are manageable. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Willing to undertake the Foundation Degree in Healthcare Play Specialism

Shortlisting by application form

At least 2 years experience of working in an environment with children with special needs

Shortlisting by application form

VALUE BASED RECRUITMENT

* Values Based Recruitment is a process adopted by the Belfast Trust to attract and select employees on the basis that their individual values and behaviours align with those of the Trust and incorporating the Healthcare Leadership Model.

It focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ people do what they do.

Candidates who are short-listed for interview will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required knowledge, skills, competencies and values to be effective in this new role.

In answering the value-based questions, you have the opportunity to share examples of when you have demonstrated values relevant to the Belfast Trust.

Belfast HSC Trust Values

Whilst employees will be expected to portray all the values, particular attention is drawn to the following values for this role.

RESPECT & DIGNITY

Being respectful to others

Showing compassion to those who are suffering

Acting fairly and even-handed

Acknowledging the good work of others

Supporting others to achieve positive results

OPENNESS & TRUST

Communicating openly and consistently

Listening to the opinions of others and acting sensitively

Being trustworthy & genuine

Ensuring that appropriate information is shared honestly

ACCOUNTABILITY

Taking responsibility for your own decisions and actions

Openly admitting your mistakes and learning from them

Using all available resources appropriately

Challenging failures and poor practice courageously

LEADING EDGE

Actively seeking out innovative practice

Participate in new approaches & service development opportunities

Share best practice with others

Promote the Trust as a centre of excellence

MAXIMISING LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT

Act as a role model for the development of others

Continuing to challenge my own practice

Fulfil my own statutory mandatory training requirements

Actively support the development of others.

NOTE:

If successful you will be required to produce documentary evidence that you are legally entitled to live and work in the United Kingdom. This documentation can be a P45, pay slip, National Insurance Card or a birth certificate confirming birth in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland. Failure to produce evidence will result in a non-appointment.

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