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Job requirements
Requirements from the employer’s person specification. These describe the role, not your personal match.
Essential
12 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Skills
Have a flexible approach to work & changing service needs.
- Skills
Recognise stress in self and others and take appropriate action.
- Skills
Self-motivate and prioritise workload for self and others in the team
- Skills
Support other members of the team in liaison with senior management staff.
- Education
Foundation degree in Healthcare Play Specialism or Edexcel Certificate in Hospital Play Specialism or HPSC/HPSEB or overseas equivalent
- Education
Current registration with SOHPS
- Education
Documented evidence of Continuing Professional Development (up to date professional portfolio)
- Experience
Individual and group work with children from a diversity of backgrounds.
- Experience
Good foundation of clinical experience with a wide range of children and families in the hospital setting and/or community.
- Experience
Children with additional needs – such as challenging behaviour, neurodiversity disabilities and multiple health needs
- Experience
Working with complex cases and a range of professionals
- Experience
Confidence working with adolescents
Desirable
8 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Skills
Contribute to teaching programmes for students and affiliated staff about the profession
- Skills
Apply and evaluate independent projects within the workplace
- Skills
Recognise stress in self and others and take appropriate action.
- Skills
Contribute to and implement teaching programmes for students and affiliated staff about the profession
- Education
Additional training relevant to role e.g Communication strategies e.g Makaton
- Experience
Formal teaching & concerning the area of play in hospital
- Experience
Experience with young people with mental health difficulties.
- Experience
Research & project work
Job overview
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 highlights
- Use your expertise to offer specialised play from birth to teens
- Contribute to exciting developments for our babies, children & young people (BCYP) including those with additional needs
- Inspire junior staff to develop & learn
- Join a friendly, thriving team of play specialists, play workers & volunteers
- 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?
- We are specialist hospital & London trauma hub
- Continue to learn & evolve – our many specialities include oncology/ haematology, transplant, children’s intensive care, diabetes, allergy, neurology, among others.
- It’s a rewarding place to work, alongside an amazing team of professionals
- Strong support from within the team & committed charity partners
Apply now, if you:
- hold the Health Play Specialist qualification
- registered with SOHPS
- have solid post-qualifying experience
- are committed, creative, calm & compassionate
- are confident in the role & able to share your knowledge with others
Main duties of the job
- Assess, plan & deliver specialised play interventions
- Build strong partnerships with families & siblings
- Contribute to multi professional care planning
- Support complex case referrals
- Document specialised play input
- Information sharing with other professionals
- Support play service planning, including audit, pathways & protocols
- Support & mentor junior staff, students, volunteers & visitors
- Provide formal & informal education & teaching for other professionals
- Manage a caseload, safe environment & resources
- Deputise for Team lead – managing referrals & smooth running of service.
- Create a welcoming, safe & age-appropriate environment for all BCYP
- Celebrate key events & achievements with patients & families.
- Grant applications & charity support
- Working knowledge of current games, activities, devices relevant to all ages/stages
- Comply with the SOHPS professional standards, national guidance and trust policies
- Inspire & motivate others about play
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both overviews please view the Job Description attachment with the job advert.
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 Senior Health Play Specialist with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London, England. It is listed as a Band 5 Play specialist role. The advertised salary is £38,488 - £46,852 pa inclusive. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 02 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 (18 Sep 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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