Apprentice Health Play Specialist

Job overview

We are looking for an apprentice who would like an opportunity of working in a supportive and diverse team within the children and young people division supporting children attending a range of departments at UCLH working in varied specialties while training to become a qualified Health Play Specialist.  UCLH strive to be a flexible working Trust and encourage applications from people seeking flexible working options. 

This post is an exciting new addition to the play and youth service team and is a fantastic opportunity for you to expand your knowledge, skills and experience as a professional working with children and/or young people within a leading, award-winning play team who support children and young people from 0 to 25 years. A team which is led by a supportive leadership team who are members of the governing bodies of play, striving to embed high quality specialised play practices on a national level. This post will help shape the delivery of services to children and young people within health and is an opportunity to expand your knowledge, skills and experience of working within a range of specialties.

You will work as part of a supportive team where play and recreation is valued and respected as an integrated part of children young people’s treatment and your contribution to the patient’s pathway will be highly respected.

Advert

The Apprentice Play Specialist will have proven experience of working with children and young people, who is committed to providing high quality care to children and young people in both inpatient and outpatients settings.  The post-holder will work alongside the play workers, play specialists and youth support coordinators providing a safe and welcoming child focused environment for children and young people to engage in play and recreation activities with their identified needs. The post holder will provide a sustainable level of safe and age appropriate play materials/equipment for all children and young people ensuring children's right are protected and promoted.  Providing interesting and stimulating play programmes for children, young people, and their families highlighting the importance of play in assisting recovery and reducing anxiety and/or fear while in the hospital environment is a crucial element of the post and you will need to be able to thrive in a demanding environment effectively prioritising patients and your workload. Additionally, you will need to engage easily with children and young people and be able to work effectively with your MDT colleagues to enhance the children and young person’s hospital experience as well as needing to be able to deal sensitively with families under stress. 

Working for our organisation

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.    

We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:    

• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)  
• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery 
• Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals 
• University College Hospital Grafton Way Building 
• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine  
• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre  
• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases 
• University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street 

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.   

At UCLH, we have a real ‘One Team’ ethos, and our values – safety, kindness, teamwork and improving, are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the #1 NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.