Job Overview
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity for an experienced hospital play specialist to lead the Hospital Play Team Manager role. The role focuses on driving a high‑quality, innovative and compassionate play service across the children’s hospital, championing therapeutic play across the multidisciplinary team, and ensuring each child receives support, preparation and distraction to make their stay safe and confident.
Working for our organisation
UHS is one of Englands largest acute teaching Trusts with a wide range of learning and development opportunities and a flexible working environment. We are committed to diversity, inclusion and anti‑racism, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join an inclusive, empowering team.
Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities
* Lead a team of Play Specialists and play leaders, building a positive and collaborative team culture.
* Provide therapeutic play, including play therapy, education through play and support to patients, their carers and health‑care professionals.
* Implement service improvement initiatives, working with partners to establish administrative and operational pathways that support care and reduce unnecessary demand for acute services.
* Build and maintain strong relationships across the multidisciplinary team.
* Champion therapeutic play as part of holistic care, embedding it into clinical practice.
Experience and Skills Required
* Registered play specialist.
* Degree level qualification or equivalent experience.
* Evidence of supporting/ managing a range of learners in practice.
* Full understanding of therapeutic play with the ability to use play specialist techniques to enhance care of children.
* Knowledge of current issues within the acute health service.
* Understanding of personal accountability and professional autonomy.
* Excellent communication skills – oral, written and non‑verbal.
* Flexible, adaptable and empathetic, able to respond to quick‑changing situations.
Desirable Criteria
* IT training.
* Change management, clinical practice development expertise.
* Multidisciplinary team working experience.
* Organisational/strategic awareness.
Essential Criteria
* Patients First.
* Always Improving.
* Working Together.
Trust Values
* Patients First.
* Always Improving.
* Working Together.
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