Job summary
An exciting opportunity has become available for a Hospital Play Specialist/Nursery Nurse to join ward 11 Burns, Plastic and ENT within the Great North Children's Hospital.Ward 11 is a 15 bedded inpatient unit which consists of the North East Regional Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit, the Regional Cleft Lip and Palate unit and Ear Nose and Throat Unit.The ward also supports an Outpatient Nurse Led Dressing Clinic and a Plastic Trauma and Burns Assessment Clinic.We are seeking a motivated individual who would enjoy working in a fast paced environment.The successful candidate will be expected to be an effective member of the multidisciplinary team, assisting the nursing staff with distraction during procedures and to work well with the MDT to enable everyone to provide excellent care to patients and families.
- Interview date: 5 March 2025
- 15 hours /week (2 days) over the weekend
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
NO AGENCIES PLEASE
Main duties of the job
- Provide support , teaching and guidance to parents/carers and children/young people whilst undergoing investigations and treatments.
- Supporting children and young people with both learning difficulties and disabilities when coming into hospital. Working closely with the pre assessment and learning disability teams.
- Provide a range of child centred activities to enhance the patient experience within the hospital environment.
- Take an active role in health promotion and education.
- Work within a multi- disciplinary team to support children and young people ensuing their holistic needs are met.
About us
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
o Freeman Hospital
o Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
o Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
o Newcastle Dental Hospital
o Newcastle Fertility Centre
o Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
o Northern Genetics Service
o Cramlington Manor Walks
These include a range of flagship services which deliver cutting-edge care (supported by state-of-the-art diagnostic services in both radiology and pathology) and are a catalyst for innovation to support pioneering clinical practice in the NHS.
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under 'Documents to download' or 'Supporting documents'.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Job description
Job responsibilities
Health Play Specialist
- The Health Play Specialist role will, under the accountability of the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse to offer normalising and specialised play for children and young people with complex healthcare needs and their families, considering age, stage of development, medical condition and background to promote emotional health and optimal development, this will include the effects of hospitalisation, ill health and treatments required.
- The Play Specialist is required to have knowledge and experience of developmental, emotional and social play for all age ranges and abilities of children in hospital.
- Inform, educate, support and advise other healthcare specialists, nursing staff, and families in the role of play.
- Use play to help and assist in alleviating anxieties, pain, or emotional trauma caused to the child, young person and their families, which can often occur in the unfamiliar hospital environment, aiding them to engage in hospital life, promoting their understanding of their healthcare needs, investigations and treatments.
- The post holder is expected to be a fully integrated member of the department team.
- Contribute to the maintenance, consistency and development of the play service throughout the Trust.
- Receive requests from relevant healthcare professionals and other HPS for a patient to be seen following a referral to a medical consultant and his team.
- To escort children and young people to theatre (where appropriate) in line with Trust policy, to aid and promote understanding and coping mechanisms.
Nursery Nurse
- To assist in therapeutic assessments and carry out play programmes for children and young people in hospital, according to their individual needs and as part of the overall care plan.
- To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of play using reflective practice to achieve best outcomes.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Health Play Specialist
- The Health Play Specialist role will, under the accountability of the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse to offer normalising and specialised play for children and young people with complex healthcare needs and their families, considering age, stage of development, medical condition and background to promote emotional health and optimal development, this will include the effects of hospitalisation, ill health and treatments required.
- The Play Specialist is required to have knowledge and experience of developmental, emotional and social play for all age ranges and abilities of children in hospital.
- Inform, educate, support and advise other healthcare specialists, nursing staff, and families in the role of play.
- Use play to help and assist in alleviating anxieties, pain, or emotional trauma caused to the child, young person and their families, which can often occur in the unfamiliar hospital environment, aiding them to engage in hospital life, promoting their understanding of their healthcare needs, investigations and treatments.
- The post holder is expected to be a fully integrated member of the department team.
- Contribute to the maintenance, consistency and development of the play service throughout the Trust.
- Receive requests from relevant healthcare professionals and other HPS for a patient to be seen following a referral to a medical consultant and his team.
- To escort children and young people to theatre (where appropriate) in line with Trust policy, to aid and promote understanding and coping mechanisms.
Nursery Nurse
- To assist in therapeutic assessments and carry out play programmes for children and young people in hospital, according to their individual needs and as part of the overall care plan.
- To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of play using reflective practice to achieve best outcomes.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate.The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.
As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Person Specification
Health Play Specialist
Essential
- Health Play Specialist (HPS) qualification at Diploma level, recognised by the Health Play Staff Education Trust (HPSET)
- Registered with HPSET.
- Evidence of on-going professional development.
- Able to work effectively as part of multi-disciplinary team, as well as on own initiative within scope of practice, with effective time management.
- Good communication skills
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Good organisational skills.
- Basic IT skills
Desirable
- Previous experience in co-ordinating and providing a play service in a healthcare setting
- Experience of working with children and young people with complex health needs and disabilities
- Advanced IT skills
- Able to mentor HPS students and provide support to junior staff
Nursery Nurse
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 in Childcare or equivalent (e.g. NNEB BTEC Nursery Nurse qualification)
- Ability to work effectively under direction or part of a team
- Ability to work independently
- Good interpersonal skills
- Good communication skills
- Good organisational skills
Desirable
- Evidence of on-going professional development
- Previous work in health care setting
- Experience of caring in a personal or professional setting
- Able to manage time
- Basic IT skills
Person Specification
Health Play Specialist
Essential
- Health Play Specialist (HPS) qualification at Diploma level, recognised by the Health Play Staff Education Trust (HPSET)
- Registered with HPSET.
- Evidence of on-going professional development.
- Able to work effectively as part of multi-disciplinary team, as well as on own initiative within scope of practice, with effective time management.
- Good communication skills
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Good organisational skills.
- Basic IT skills
Desirable
- Previous experience in co-ordinating and providing a play service in a healthcare setting
- Experience of working with children and young people with complex health needs and disabilities
- Advanced IT skills
- Able to mentor HPS students and provide support to junior staff
Nursery Nurse
Essential
- NVQ Level 3 in Childcare or equivalent (e.g. NNEB BTEC Nursery Nurse qualification)
- Ability to work effectively under direction or part of a team
- Ability to work independently
- Good interpersonal skills
- Good communication skills
- Good organisational skills
Desirable
- Evidence of on-going professional development
- Previous work in health care setting
- Experience of caring in a personal or professional setting
- Able to manage time
- Basic IT 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).
