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Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Play Assistant

The closing date is 02 November 2025

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Job summary

Play Assistant

Department Children's Services

Band 3 £24,937 - £26,598 Per annum, pro rata

Hours 19 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working

Are you passionate about using play to support children during their hospital experience? Do you have the skills and enthusiasm to create a positive, playful environment that promotes emotional and physical recovery? If so, then we would love to hear from you about joining our fabulous team as a Play Assistant!

With the role of play becoming ever more valued at MKUH, we are passionate about creating an environment where play is not just an activity but a vital component of healthcare, supporting developmental, therapeutic and recovery needs. We need another kind, well organised, motivated and enthusiastic person to join our team. The post of play assistant requires a dynamic forward-thinking person, the role will involve preparation for children and their families for blood tests and operations and creating and delivering play plans and activities to children of all ages.

If you think you have what it takes to bring play to children in hospital, please apply to join our team!

Please note that we are not able to offer sponsorship for this role.

For further information or to arrange an informal visit to the Paediatric Unit please contact Senior Sister Philippa Cullen-Prince on 01908 996588 or Laura Clarke 01908 996377 or via email philippa.cullenprince@mkuh.nhs.uk or laura.clarke@mkuh.nhs.uk

Main duties of the job

'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'

To meet the play and emotional needs of any babies, children, young people and their families attending the hospital and to participate in the creation of a safe, child friendly environment.

You will be responsible for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating the play needs of the child in hospital, providing age appropriate explanations and discussion for the child and family, about the child's treatment.

You will provide play activities to help children cope with any pain, anxiety or fear they might experience during their time in hospital. Play is also used to prepare children for treatment, distract them during a procedure, and help them understand what they have experienced.

About us

Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.

As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.

We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.

Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.

Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -

For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes

Details

Date posted

23 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year Per annum, pro rata if part-time

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

430-WC25-86A

Job locations

Ward 5 (Dept)

Milton Keynes

MK6 5LD


Job description

Job responsibilities

Professional

To create a child friendly environment in which play occurs naturally at all times.

Encourage play to maintain the childs links with family and home and to help the child adjust to the hospital situation.

Communication

Establish and maintain an open and sensitive communicative manner with children, families, relatives and multi- disciplinary team.

Demonstrate friendly, helpful and respectful attention to everyone.

Domestic and Environmental

Responsible for the selection of play equipment, work with Senior Sisters to ensure resources meet demands.

Responsible for maintaining play equipment with regard to safety and cross infection.

Teaching and Education

To participate in MDT training programmes.

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.

General Duties

To undertake errands as required.

Perform tasks as may be considered relevant by ward manager

Personnel Comply with all Trust policies and procedures

Please refer to the Job Description for further details

Job description

Job responsibilities

Professional

To create a child friendly environment in which play occurs naturally at all times.

Encourage play to maintain the childs links with family and home and to help the child adjust to the hospital situation.

Communication

Establish and maintain an open and sensitive communicative manner with children, families, relatives and multi- disciplinary team.

Demonstrate friendly, helpful and respectful attention to everyone.

Domestic and Environmental

Responsible for the selection of play equipment, work with Senior Sisters to ensure resources meet demands.

Responsible for maintaining play equipment with regard to safety and cross infection.

Teaching and Education

To participate in MDT training programmes.

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.

General Duties

To undertake errands as required.

Perform tasks as may be considered relevant by ward manager

Personnel Comply with all Trust policies and procedures

Please refer to the Job Description for further details

Person Specification

Qualifications and knowledge

Essential

  • Child care qualification at level 3 or above.
  • Key skills level 2 or equivalent in literacy and numeracy

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with parents and extended families.
  • To have worked as a team member, able to demonstrate skills in communication and team working

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to organise play activities for both children and young people.
  • Able to effectively communicate with all age groups, adjusting to specific situation, requirements
  • Able to demonstrate an ability to deal appropriately with emotional and physical demands of the role, including distressing situations such as palliative care, blood tests, safeguarding issues
  • Ability to work with individuals and groups of children and young people.

Personal and people development

Essential

  • Excellent understanding of a child's development.
  • Aware of issues relating to safeguarding children.
  • Demonstrates ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.
Person Specification

Qualifications and knowledge

Essential

  • Child care qualification at level 3 or above.
  • Key skills level 2 or equivalent in literacy and numeracy

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with parents and extended families.
  • To have worked as a team member, able to demonstrate skills in communication and team working

Skills

Essential

  • Ability to organise play activities for both children and young people.
  • Able to effectively communicate with all age groups, adjusting to specific situation, requirements
  • Able to demonstrate an ability to deal appropriately with emotional and physical demands of the role, including distressing situations such as palliative care, blood tests, safeguarding issues
  • Ability to work with individuals and groups of children and young people.

Personal and people development

Essential

  • Excellent understanding of a child's development.
  • Aware of issues relating to safeguarding children.
  • Demonstrates ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ward 5 (Dept)

Milton Keynes

MK6 5LD


Employer's website

https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/working-at-mkuh (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ward 5 (Dept)

Milton Keynes

MK6 5LD


Employer's website

https://www.mkuh.nhs.uk/working-at-mkuh (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Sister

Philippa Cullen-Prince

Philippa.CullenPrince@mkuh.nhs.uk

Details

Date posted

23 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year Per annum, pro rata if part-time

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

430-WC25-86A

Job locations

Ward 5 (Dept)

Milton Keynes

MK6 5LD


Supporting documents

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