Job overview
Come and join us in a bustling central London children’s department, with lots of opportunity to grow as a qualified play specialist. Some shifts will be faster paced & others will focus on longer term input with patients & families. Each day is unique!
Key Highlights:
1. Use your skills to offer specialised play from birth to teens.
2. Your input matters – be part of exciting developments for our babies, children & young people (BCYP), including those with additional needs.
3. Help families to celebrate key events & milestones.
4. Be part of a friendly, thriving team of play specialists, play workers & volunteers.
5. Come & enjoy a central & accessible location.
6. Children’s health & wellbeing is at our core & your contribution will make a real impact within a team who value play.
Why join us?
7. We are specialist hospital & London trauma hub,
8. There’s variety to grow within your role – our many specialities include oncology/ haematology, transplant, children’s intensive care, diabetes, allergy, among others.
9. It’s a rewarding place to work, alongside an amazing team of professionals.
10. Strong support from within the team & charity partners.
Apply now, if you:
11. Hold the Health Play Specialist qualification or due to qualify in summer 2026.
12. Registered with SOHPS
13. Have experience & confidence with specialised play interventions in healthcare.
14. Are familiar with games, activities, devices enjoyed by all ages/stages.
Main duties of the job
15. Introducing play as a tool to communicate & support BCYP (babies, children and young people).
16. Assess, plan & deliver specialised play interventions.
17. Building partnerships with families & siblings.
18. Contributing to multi professional team care.
19. Supporting team referrals.
20. Documenting play input.
21. Sharing important information with other professionals.
22. Creating a welcoming, safe & age-appropriate environment for all BCYP.
Working for our organisation
At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care.
Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You’ll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career.
Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to Work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.
We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part time or job share. Please talk to us at interview.
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.
Person specification
Education & Qualifications
Essential criteria
23. Foundation degree in Healthcare Play Specialism
24. Edexcel Certificate in Hospital Play Specialism or HPSC/HPSEB or overseas equivalent
25. Current registration with HPSET or overseas equivalent.
26. Documented evidence of Continuing Professional Development (up to date professional portfolio)
Desirable criteria
27. Additional training relevant to role
28. Communication strategies e.g Makaton
Experience & Knowledge
Essential criteria
29. General & current working knowledge of children’s legislation
30. Good foundation of clinical experience with a wide range of children and families in the hospital setting and/or community.
31. Experience with children with additional needs – such as challenging behaviour, neurodiversity disabilities and multiple health needs
32. Specialist knowledge and application of therapeutic assessments and interventions relevant to patient group and treatment plan
Desirable criteria
33. Experience of audit procedures.
34. Experience & confidence working with adolescents
35. Experience working with a multi-professional team
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
36. Ability to recognise stress in self and others and take appropriate action.
37. Ability to motivate and prioritise workload for self and others in the team
38. Ability to use a diplomatic approach with both practice and management issues.
39. Ability to build effective working relationships at MDT levels.
Desirable criteria
40. Ability to contribute to teaching programmes for students and affiliated staff about the profession
41. Ability to apply and evaluate independent projects within the workplace
Right to work
If you need sponsorship to work in the UK, please visit the Home Office website for information on sponsorship and visa status before you fill in your application form. Due to recent changes in the UK immigration rules which affect Skilled Worker Visas, Global Business Mobility, Higher Skill Level and Increased Salary Thresholds, please ensure that you are able to meet the requirements to live and work in the UK before applying. Further information about eligibility is available on
Please ensure you check your emails regularly as this is how we will communicate with you throughout the recruitment process. If you are shortlisted you will be contacted by email and text message (if you provide a mobile contact number).
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