Play Specialist: Sponsorship Available

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Job summary

There is an exciting opportunity to join our Play Team at The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. Based on the Children’s ward you will be required to support both colleagues and patients across all our paediatric areas including but not exhaustive of A21 – Acute, PAU, A22 – Children’s Outpatients and A23 – Children’s Surgery and Day case.

You will be expected to work as part of the large MDT to manage a caseload of patients, providing therapeutic play interventions that help to alleviate anxiety, encourage engagement with treatment and intervention and promote physical and emotional wellbeing, that contributes towards an overall positive patient experience.

 

Main duties of the job

To plan and implement individual therapeutic play programmes to include preparation for invasive and non-invasive procedures, distraction therapy and post procedure play.

To undertake therapeutic assessments and devise play programmes for children and young people in hospital, according to their individual needs and as part of their overall care plan.

To contribute to the pre-assessment of children during pre- clerking for surgical patients, psychologically preparing children and parents/cares for admission to hospital.

To assist nursing staff in basic child care needs as and when necessary in accordance with the agreed policies and procedures of the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust.

To liaise with the multi-disciplinary team regularly to ensure timely delivery of care and foster good working relationships, acting as a positive role model.

The post holder will play an active part in the continuing development of the ward or department and actively contribute to the maintenance of an environment conducive to the delivery of high standards of patient care by promoting good communication and relationships between staff, patients, relatives and visitors.

Person Specification

Essential

Essential

  • NNEB/BTEC/NVQ 3 in Childcare
  • Recent extensive experience within a Children’s setting
  • Hospital Play Specialist Certificate (HPSET)

Desirable

  • Experience within a health care setting

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).

Closing Date: 26 August 2026

To apply for this job please visit apps.trac.jobs.