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Job requirements
Essential
29 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Extensive post qualifying, comprehensive experience of working with children and/or young people in a health care setting, in a variety of clinical areas and/or vast experience in specialised field, including individual and group work.
- Experience
Project leadership experience.
- Experience
Participation in recruitment and selection procedures
- Experience
Experience of audit procedures
- Experience
Experience of regularly supporting, teaching, training, assessing and supervising students and/or volunteers.
- Personal Qualities
Enthusiastic and motivated.
- Personal Qualities
Good interpersonal skills.
- Personal Qualities
Professional approach to work.
- Personal Qualities
Accountability – Takes responsibility for own actions and promotes good team working.
- Personal Qualities
Openness – Shares information and good practice appropriately.
- Personal Qualities
Mutual respect – Treats others with courtesy and respect.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Able to communicate complex, information sensitively and effectively with patients, families and staff, in written, verbal and non-verbal forms.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Advanced theoretical understanding of and ability to manage & apply therapeutic play interventions for children and young people experiences difficulties during their
- Skills & Aptitudes
Hospitalisation on specialised areas including preparation, distraction therapy and post procedural play.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Supervision and training skills.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Ability to provide clinical supervision to peer group.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Ability to analyse professional and ethical issues, including professional boundaries, clinical governance.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Word processing, Excel and internet search skills.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Ability to build effective working relationships within multiple professional teams and across hospital locations.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Ability to organise and respond efficiently to complex information and comprehend difficult technical and medical information
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Registered & qualified Health Play Specialist holding the Foundation Degree in Health Care Play Specialism or previous HPSC/HPSEB, Edexcel PDC/HND in Hospital Play Specialism or oversees equivalent.
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Further training in child protection.
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Management training modules
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Documented evidence of Continuing Professional Development For example; Counselling Skills certificate, Supervisory Skills Training, Presentation skills., Published articles, Conference Presentations
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Comprehensive knowledge and application of therapeutic assessments and interventions relevant to patient group and treatment plan.
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Specialist knowledge of the effects of hospitalisation, treatment and long term chronic and life-threatening illness on children and young people and their families.
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Knowledge and awareness of the emotional and personal impact of the work and the ability to self-manage or seek help appropriately.
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Detailed knowledge of current health legislation and NAHPS Guidelines for Professional Practice.
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Detailed knowledge of the principles and application of clinical governance.
Desirable
7 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Experience
Management of junior staff, undertaking annual appraisals and PDP.
- Experience
Participation in recruitment and selection procedures
- Experience
Experience of working with children and/or young people with special needs including those with challenging behaviours
- Skills & Aptitudes
Training and presentation skills.
- Skills & Aptitudes
Counselling skills
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree (or overseas equivalent) in a subject relevant to work with children and/or young people.
- Knowledge & Qualifications
Training in ;Guided Imagery, Adolescent Development, Teaching adults
Job overview
We are seeking to appoint a dynamic and enthusiastic candidate to the role of Play Services Manager, based at our North Middlesex University Health Unit.
This role is offered at part-time working 30x hours per week with the rota pattern being agreed upon appointment.
The appointed candidate will provide a high-level play service to all areas within the Babies, Children's, & Young People division to ensure all visitors to our services have a positive experience. The postholder may be required to provide support to other Health Units in their role.
Please note:
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role.
Main duties of the job
The job purpose is:
- Be responsible for the management of staff within the Play Service.
- Take an active role in improving care pathways for patients and their families within their hospital journey.
- Work as an advanced practitioner in clinical areas.
- Participate in the assessment, planning, development and evaluation of play services within all areas where children and young people are seen, holding responsibility for service development and defined projects.
- Provide leadership to junior staff through role modelling, teaching and management.
- Supervise HPS and degree level students on practice placement as well as students from other members of the MDT.
- Provide complimentary support to children seen outside of paediatric setting and 16 – 17 yrs. old in Paediatric Emergency Department as required and or admitted onto the adult wards.
- Actively work to improve the safety and quality of services for children, contributing to safeguarding and sourcing funds for environmental improvements and building partnerships with external funders.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
A full list of duties and responsibilities will be found within the job description and requirements for the role can be found within the person specification.
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Play Service Manager with Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in London, England. It is listed as a Service manager role. The advertised salary is £45953.00 to £54254.00. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 20 Oct 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (06 Oct 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHSjob search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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