Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Play Management Team as one of the Deputy Head's of Play.
We are seeking a passionate individual to join our team to manage and develop a large team of Health Play Specialists taking an active role in improving the patient experience for babies, children and young people.
The postholder must be a qualified Health Play Specialist registered with SOHPS and at least 2 years post qualifying experience.
Main duties of the job
Working alongside the Head of Play Services and the Play Management Team you will:
Ensure the Health Play Specialist team provide a welcoming, safe and secure environment where culturally diverse populations' needs are being represented throughout the service.
Support the development of an equitable provision of therapeutic play interventions throughout the Trust, mindful of the need to engage all children and young people and adapt a service to meet them at their point of need.
Be responsible for the management of Health Play Specialists within team as delegated by the Head of Play Service.
Take an active role in improving care pathways and patient experience for children, young people and their families.
Supervise, assess and guide mentors for Health Play Specialist apprentices and students on practice placement.
Liaise with GOSH Charity to evidence impact of the service and provide qualitative and quantitative evidence of impact.
Continually learn and develop yourself, contributing to a learning culture in the team.
About us
We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as the communities we serve, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including people with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic heritage, people with a disability, and people from LGBTQ+ communities. By growing an ever more diverse workforce, we'll have a greater range of perspectives and knowledge, meaning that we can provide the children and young people at our hospital with even better care.
Our hospital is committed to creating an environment that is open and inclusive. Our staff are encouraged to engage with colleagues through the following networks: REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) ENABLED (Enhancing Abilities & Leveraging Disabilities Network), PRIDE and Women's networks; all of which are sponsored by a member of our Executive Management Team.
We want to ensure that all of our people, regardless of their background, are seen and heard. We want to attract applicants that share our commitment to inclusion and that understand diversity is a strength that is embraced and valued.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.
Person Specification
GOSH Culture and Values
Essential
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential
- FdA Healthcare Play Specialism
- Basic Secondary Education up to 5 GCSEs at grades A-C/ 9-4 or beyond, including English and Maths
- NNEB or NVQ Level 3in Childcare or equivalent understanding of the principles of play work
- Management training and development
- Evidence of ongoing dynamic and continuing development, registered with SOHPS
Desirable
- Recruiting and Interviewing Skills
- Line Management Skills
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Substantial post qualifying experience of working as a Health Play Specialist .
- In -depth theoretical knowledge of child development, the principles of play in hospital and the range of interventions offered by Health Play Specialists to minimise hospital trauma, through normalising play sessions and access to play experiences etc.
- Experience of working in an environment with children and/or young people/ young adults
- Detailed knowledge of best practice Professional code of conduct and its application in practice
- Knowledge of health legislation - guidelines and standards and its application in practice.
- Experience in creating opportunities for Health Play Specialists, working alongside education leads within the trust and external education colleges and universities.
- Training and mentoring, sharing skills and teaching peers and healthcare colleagues, mentoring and assessing students.
- Knowledge and understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- Research and data collection - evidencing practice and auditing.
- Experience of co -creation of services with patients and working with outside agencies and partners.
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance, health and safety, safeguarding, risk assessment and infection control.
- Awareness of diversity, cultural and religious pathways and policies.
Desirable
- Team management and leadership experience, supporting and developing the role of the Health Play Specialist trust wide.
- Experience of evidencing the role to charity partners.
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Experience of undertaking therapeutic assessments of children and young people - supporting play workers with planning and MDT involvement
- Ability to work autonomously to discuss, plan, develop and implement training, and service development, whilst looking at service needs.
- Excellent verbal, communication and organisation skills. Excellent IT and presentation skills, and a good working knowledge of Word, Excel and Teams.
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to formulate and share sensitive information with the team and work together to address issues and challenges.
- Able to evaluate the effectiveness of play plans and play strategies- developing the role of the play worker within the wider MDT.
- Effective time management skills and ability to prioritise workload.
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
- To co-create the service with input from the children and young people and to change and diversify when required to suit the needs of the patients
- Ability to collate data, and present findings.
- IT Skills
Desirable
- Ability to identify pertinent ethical issues and provide guidance
- Excellent Presentation Skills
Person Specification
GOSH Culture and Values
Essential
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential
- FdA Healthcare Play Specialism
- Basic Secondary Education up to 5 GCSEs at grades A-C/ 9-4 or beyond, including English and Maths
- NNEB or NVQ Level 3in Childcare or equivalent understanding of the principles of play work
- Management training and development
- Evidence of ongoing dynamic and continuing development, registered with SOHPS
Desirable
- Recruiting and Interviewing Skills
- Line Management Skills
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Substantial post qualifying experience of working as a Health Play Specialist .
- In -depth theoretical knowledge of child development, the principles of play in hospital and the range of interventions offered by Health Play Specialists to minimise hospital trauma, through normalising play sessions and access to play experiences etc.
- Experience of working in an environment with children and/or young people/ young adults
- Detailed knowledge of best practice Professional code of conduct and its application in practice
- Knowledge of health legislation - guidelines and standards and its application in practice.
- Experience in creating opportunities for Health Play Specialists, working alongside education leads within the trust and external education colleges and universities.
- Training and mentoring, sharing skills and teaching peers and healthcare colleagues, mentoring and assessing students.
- Knowledge and understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- Research and data collection - evidencing practice and auditing.
- Experience of co -creation of services with patients and working with outside agencies and partners.
- Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance, health and safety, safeguarding, risk assessment and infection control.
- Awareness of diversity, cultural and religious pathways and policies.
Desirable
- Team management and leadership experience, supporting and developing the role of the Health Play Specialist trust wide.
- Experience of evidencing the role to charity partners.
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Experience of undertaking therapeutic assessments of children and young people - supporting play workers with planning and MDT involvement
- Ability to work autonomously to discuss, plan, develop and implement training, and service development, whilst looking at service needs.
- Excellent verbal, communication and organisation skills. Excellent IT and presentation skills, and a good working knowledge of Word, Excel and Teams.
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Ability to formulate and share sensitive information with the team and work together to address issues and challenges.
- Able to evaluate the effectiveness of play plans and play strategies- developing the role of the play worker within the wider MDT.
- Effective time management skills and ability to prioritise workload.
- Ability to reflect and critically appraise own performance
- To co-create the service with input from the children and young people and to change and diversify when required to suit the needs of the patients
- Ability to collate data, and present findings.
- IT Skills
Desirable
- Ability to identify pertinent ethical issues and provide guidance
- Excellent Presentation Skills
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.
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.
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
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
Great Ormond Street
London
WC1N 3JZ
Employer's website
https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
