Health Play Specialist | Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust


Company:	Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Salary:	£32,073 - £39,043 per annum pro rata
Hours:	Part-time
Location:	Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	7 Sept 2026
Closing date:	7 Oct 2026

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Summary

We are looking for a Health Play Specialist to join our Paediatric Oncology / Haematology Outpatient Unit. You will join a well-established, valued Play team who are proactive and determined in providing positive hospital experiences and quality intervention for children and families.

A strong candidate will have excellent knowledge and skills of therapeutic and normalising play and have a great understanding of the impact of hospitalisation on the child and their families. You’ll have excellent communication skills and can work autonomously and with members of the multidisciplinary team.

If you are committed to providing exceptional care through normalising and therapeutic play then we would like to hear from you.

You’ll hold an FdA in Healthcare Play Specialism or equivalent. A valid registration with the Society of Health Play Specialists is needed. Return to practice or year 2 of Health Play Specialism Fda / Apprenticeship applications are welcome.

The Unit cares for children (0-16yrs) with Haematological or Oncological diagnosis, including general anaesthetic procedures as well as awake scans, consultations, tests and infusions including Chemotherapy.

You'll be motivated to create positive experiences for patients in hospital. You’ll have referrals and use evidence-based practice to assess, plan and implement therapeutic interventions to reduce anxiety, supporting children and their families in hospital.

You’ll encourage normal development and rehabilitation through your ability to connect with patients, providing appropriate play opportunities. You’ll work closely with other Play Specialists on the unit, recognising the emotional needs of children in hospital.

The role includes supervising and mentoring students and working collaboratively with the wider Play Team to develop projects to enhance the service. You’ll be a motivated, creative thinker who wants to build on their skills and able to prioritise your workload.

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:

• applied for a Graduate visa

• or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

All roles in the Trust include a mandatory 12-week training period. Therefore successful candidates are expected to have the Right to Work for a period of at least 6 months from the proposed start date. Immigration and Right to Work status will be discussed with successful candidates at conditional offer. CUH will not offer sponsorship to candidates that have applied for a fee waiver.

The advert will close at midnight on 20 September 2026.

Interviews are due to be held on 30 September 2026.

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

This advert closes on Sunday 20 Sep 2026

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