Play Specialist in Preston

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 Health Professionals 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, organisation, leadership and time management.

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

• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate play to meet patients’ needs in accordance with agreed local and national standards and evidence based guidelines.
• Be responsible for the delivery and co-ordination of play through appropriate professional practice.
• Maintain and develop own professional competence and seek to extend the scope of personal knowledge and skills within scope of role and professional practice.
• Proactively manage risk and maintain patient safety, conforming to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.

Working for our organisation: LTHTR is a Trust based on two main hospital sites at Preston and Chorley. There is an acute children’s ward at Preston where you would be primarily based. The ward cares for children and young people aged 0 – 16yrs on our 24 bedded ward which consists of 4 HDU beds, 3 cubicles and 3-4 beds in 5 separate bays. Attached to the main ward is a ward consisting of 10 cubicles. We also have a Paediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) which is open Monday to Sunday. The Day Case Unit is open Monday – Friday and once a fortnight it transfers to Chorley for a day. There is a Children’s Clinic at Preston open Monday – Friday. The post will require close liaison with all areas where children are cared for within the trust, such as ED, day surgery, Day Case, the children’s community team and outpatients. We are a very supportive team which encourages personal development which is supported by the practice educator on the ward.

• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate play to meet patients’ needs in accordance with agreed local and national standards and evidence based guidelines.
• Be responsible for the delivery and co-ordination of play through appropriate professional practice.
• Maintain and develop own professional competence and seek to extend the scope of personal knowledge and skills within scope of role and professional practice.
• Proactively manage risk and maintain patient safety, conforming to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.

Qualifications & Education:

• Essential criteria: HPSET Certificate, NNEB/BETEC or relevant child care qualification at NVQ level 3.
• Desirable criteria: HPSET Certificate, NNEB/BETEC or relevant child care qualification at NVQ level 3.

Knowledge & Experience:

• Essential criteria: Knowledge of developmental needs from birth to 18 years incorporating all cultures and diversities; Knowledge of the social and psychological needs of children, young people and their families; Understanding health & safety issues and confidentiality/data protection.
• Desirable criteria: Awareness of the current literature and government legislation relating to children and young people.

Skills & Abilities:

• Essential criteria: Leadership skills within the play service to organise and lead planned projects; Ability to teach and empower other health care professionals in providing play in the play team's absence; Communication verbal/non-verbal skills; Ability to work independently using own initiative and work within a team; Documentation and report writing skills; Enthusiastic and forward thinking; Ability to reflect practice through literature research; Ability to work with families who are under duress.

Values & Behaviours:

• Essential criteria: Empathetic; Enthusiastic and Positive; Able to work as part of a team; Ability to motivate; Committed to working in a play specialist role; Aware of boundaries of the Role; Flexible to meet the needs of the service.