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St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Senior Play Specialist

The closing date is 13 April 2026

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Job summary

St George's Hospital is a large teaching hospital in the UK Tooting. Founded in 1733, it is provides care for up to 3.5 million patients. We have a very busy paediatric service with a vibrant and dedicated team of people working together to provided a great Healthcare Play service. Come join us.

Main duties of the job

  • To create an environment in which play occurs naturally at all times.
  • To create an attractive, child-orientated environment including the child/young persons own work.
  • To encourage play to maintain the child/young person's link with family and home and to help the child/young person to adjust to the hospital situation.
  • To provide appropriate play for normal growth (social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development) and to continue during hospitalisation, using knowledge of child development.
  • To help familiarise the child/young person with strange apparatus and procedures to reduce stress and anxiety and to help the child/young person to understand his/her treatment illness.
  • To take on individual referrals for children/young people experiencing difficulty in managing hospital admission/procedures, using evidence based practice to assess, plan, implement and evaluate therapeutic interventions.
  • To prioritise own caseload in accordance with the individual/service needs of the play team under the supervision of the Lead Healthcare Play Specialist.
  • To support children/young people using distraction therapy before, during and following painful or unpleasant treatment / procedures.
  • To support play specialist staff and students to carry out duties and manage daily to daily demands of the service
  • To take on referrals for patients needing support to access their medical needs
  • To be involved in the organisation and delivery of the play component of pre-admission programmes

About us

St Georges University Hospital provides a wonderful opportunity for a full time senior band 5 Healthcare Play Specialist.

The post holder will be required to provide a safe, welcoming friendly environment for the patients and families organising play and leisure activities across the various children and young people wards and departments.

As part of your role you will need to support students and play specialists. There will be lots of opportunity for you to add to existing skills, whilst continuing to learn and develops an individual and alongside the service needs

Details

Date posted

25 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£37,259 to £45,356 a year pro rota pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Reference number

200-7829579-DE-DG

Job locations

St Georges University Hospital

blackshaw road

tooting

SW17 0QT


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To observe the child/young persons development and emotional level and report observations to the appropriate staff and help the child/young person to express and explore feelings.
  • To observe and assess the child/young persons anxieties and communicate these to the appropriate staff.
  • To establish effective communication where the information may be complex and sensitive, both verbally and written, with all members of the multi-disciplinary team in child health and in other departments where children/young people are treated.
  • To contribute to the written care plan of each child/young person and document interventions in the child/young persons medical records.
  • To attend and participate in multi disciplinary ward meetings, child protection case conferences, discharge planning meetings.
  • Take on referrals for patients needing additional input such as child protection medicals.
  • Provide support to Junior staff and students

**Please see the attached supporting job description and person specification document, which contains more information about the role and requirements. Please ensure your application refers to the job description and person specification**

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • To observe the child/young persons development and emotional level and report observations to the appropriate staff and help the child/young person to express and explore feelings.
  • To observe and assess the child/young persons anxieties and communicate these to the appropriate staff.
  • To establish effective communication where the information may be complex and sensitive, both verbally and written, with all members of the multi-disciplinary team in child health and in other departments where children/young people are treated.
  • To contribute to the written care plan of each child/young person and document interventions in the child/young persons medical records.
  • To attend and participate in multi disciplinary ward meetings, child protection case conferences, discharge planning meetings.
  • Take on referrals for patients needing additional input such as child protection medicals.
  • Provide support to Junior staff and students

**Please see the attached supporting job description and person specification document, which contains more information about the role and requirements. Please ensure your application refers to the job description and person specification**

Person Specification

application form

Essential

  • Foundation degree healthcare play specialism
  • NQV level 3 childcare and education

Desirable

  • Guided imagery
  • Makaton training

combined

Essential

  • experience of working in a hospital with children and young people

Desirable

  • experience of working in a trauma hospital

face to face

Essential

  • 3 years post qualification experience as a healthcare play Specialist

Desirable

  • young minds or mental health training
Person Specification

application form

Essential

  • Foundation degree healthcare play specialism
  • NQV level 3 childcare and education

Desirable

  • Guided imagery
  • Makaton training

combined

Essential

  • experience of working in a hospital with children and young people

Desirable

  • experience of working in a trauma hospital

face to face

Essential

  • 3 years post qualification experience as a healthcare play Specialist

Desirable

  • young minds or mental health training

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Georges University Hospital

blackshaw road

tooting

SW17 0QT


Employer's website

https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Georges University Hospital

blackshaw road

tooting

SW17 0QT


Employer's website

https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Play specialist / Play Team Manager

Tracy Gibbons / Zoe Berger

Zoe.berger@stgeorges.nhs.uk

02087250331

Details

Date posted

25 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£37,259 to £45,356 a year pro rota pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Job share

Reference number

200-7829579-DE-DG

Job locations

St Georges University Hospital

blackshaw road

tooting

SW17 0QT


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)