Senior Health Play Specialist
At a glance
- Band
- Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Pattern
- Full-time
- Posted
- 21/09/2026
- Closes
- 02/10/2026
Sponsorship verdict
Candidates needing sponsorship are encouraged to apply.
HiveMind found a sponsorship-friendly statement in the source advert welcoming applicants who require a visa. Always confirm on the source before applying.
“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.”Quoted verbatim from the source advert
Role summary
This role involves using specialised play skills within a bustling central London children's department, covering a wide range of specialties including intensive care, trauma, and hematology. The Senior Health Play Specialist will assess, plan, and deliver play interventions, build partnerships with families, and contribute to multi-professional care planning. The position also includes supporting and mentoring junior staff, managing a caseload, and deputising for the Team Lead. It offers the opportunity to contribute to exciting developments for babies, children, and young people, including those with additional needs.
Key responsibilities
- Assess, plan & deliver specialised play interventions
- Build strong partnerships with families & siblings
- Contribute to multi professional care planning
- Support & mentor junior staff, students, volunteers & visitors
- Manage a caseload, safe environment & resources
- Deputise for Team lead - [contact details removed] & smooth running of service.
Essential criteria
- Foundation degree in Healthcare Play Specialism or Edexcel Certificate in Hospital Play Specialism or HPSC/HPSEB or overseas equivalent
- Current registration with SOHPS
- Documented evidence of Continuing Professional Development (up to date professional portfolio)
- Individual and group work with children from a diversity of backgrounds.
- Good foundation of clinical experience with a wide range of children and families in the hospital setting and/or community.
- Children with additional needs - such as challenging behaviour, neurodiversity disabilities and multiple health needs
- Working with complex cases and a range of professionals
- Confidence working with adolescents
- Have a flexible approach to work & changing service needs.
- Recognise stress in self and others and take appropriate action.
- Self-motivate and prioritise workload for self and others in the team
- Support other members of the team in liaison with senior management staff.
Desirable criteria
- Additional training relevant to role e.g Communication strategies e.g Makaton
- Formal teaching & concerning the area of play in hospital
- Experience with young people with mental health difficulties.
- Research & project work
- Contribute to teaching programmes for students and affiliated staff about the profession
- Apply and evaluate independent projects within the workplace
- Recognise stress in self and others and take appropriate action.
- Contribute to and implement teaching programmes for students and affiliated staff about the profession
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 5 at £29,970 – £36,483 a year, across England.
This advert: £38,488 – £46,852 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 1d ago · Closes in 11d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Senior Health Play Specialist
The closing date is 02 October 2026
Job summary
Come and join us in a bustling central London children's department, with lots of opportunity to use your specialised play skills. We cover a wide range of specialties including children's intensive care & trauma service. We have a unique Hematology service, including gene therapy, stem cell transplants & shared care oncology. Each day is unique.
Key highlightso Use your expertise to offer specialised play from birth to teenso Contribute to exciting developments for our babies, children & young people (BCYP) including those with additional needso Inspire junior staff to develop & learno Join a friendly, thriving team of play specialists, play workers & volunteerso Come & enjoy a central & accessible location
Children's health & wellbeing is at our core & your contribution will make a real impact within a team who value play.
Why join us?o We are specialist hospital & London trauma hubo Continue to learn & evolve - our many specialities include oncology/ haematology, transplant, children's intensive care, diabetes, allergy, neurology, among others.o It's a rewarding place to work, alongside an amazing team of professionalso Strong support from within the team & committed charity partners
Main duties of the job
- Assess, plan & deliver specialised
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