Health Play Specialist | University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust


Company:	University College London Hospital
Salary:	£34,186 - £37,389 per annum inclusive of HCAS, pro-rata
Hours:	Part-time
Location:	London, WC1E 6DG
Job type:	Contract
Posting date:	28 Oct 2026
Closing date:	27 Nov 2026

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Summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen at UCLH for a qualified Health Play Specialist or second year Apprentice/student on the Health Play Specialist course, looking to gain more experience within our highly respected team.

This is a part-time post working at the Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospital (ENTED). We are looking for someone who is committed to the delivery of compassionate high-quality care and has the skills to implement specialised play and preparation to support children, young people and their families undergoing treatment in a busy hospital environment.

This person needs to be autonomous, and also able to work effectively within a large team of health play specialists and other members of the multi-disciplinary team. The ideal candidate will be passionate and committed to effectively meeting the needs of paediatric patients and their families, as well as promoting the play service work throughout ENTED.

The successful candidate will implement specialised play interventions across both inpatient and outpatient settings.  You will need to be able to engage easily with children and young people, be able to work effectively with your multi-disciplinary team colleagues and use therapeutic play techniques creatively throughout the setting.

To plan, implement and evaluate interventions to achieve therapeutic

goals, in collaboration with the referrer, the child/young person and their

family, managing own caseload and demonstrating effective time

management.

Through play provisions, contribute to clinical judgements based on the

patient’s individual needs.

Assess, plan, implement and evaluate recreational and therapeutic play

interventions, including preparation, distraction therapy and post procedural techniques for invasive and non-invasive procedures.

Contribute to establishing and maintaining systems to provide patients with a smooth transition between hospital departments.

To work independently to meet the needs of children and young people as well as part of the MDT.

Provide and maintain a safe, welcoming and age appropriate environment where play and recreation can occur naturally.

To select and apply therapeutic techniques to help children, young people and young adults overcome difficulties with hospital admission/procedures.

To contribute to assessments and overall care planning using knowledge

of child and adolescent development and incorporating an understanding

of child/vulnerable adult protection issues.

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.

We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:

• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)

• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

• Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals

• University College Hospital Grafton Way Building

• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine

• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre

• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases

• University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women’s health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.

We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Responsibilities will include supporting hospitalised children and young people leading alternative focus activities during procedures, therapeutic playpreparation, creating an age-appropriate welcoming environment throughout the area and helping patients and families manage anxiety effectively.

You will need to have experience of working with children and young people in a healthcare setting and be able to deal sensitively with families under stress. You will work as part of a supportive team where play and recreation is valued and respected as an integrated part of young people’s treatment and your contribution to the patient’s pathway will be highly respected. The play service team consists of 35 experienced staff, lead by a play services manager who will actively support your professional development.

The post holder will need to be able to work flexible hours to meet the needs of the service. The FdA in Healthcare Play Specialism, Edex PDC/HND in Specialised play for the sick child or the previous HPSC/HPSEB, or international equivalent, is required forthis post.We welcome applications from individuals who are currently completingthe FDA Healthcare Play Specialism and are in their second year. Ifsuccessful, the trainee will be paid in accordance with annex 21 of NHSTerms and Conditions (75% of maximum of Band 4) for the period leadingup until they are qualified

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

*UCLH top trust to work at in England- In the most recentNHS staff surveyUCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England – for the third year in a row.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff – To find out more, visit:Flexible working. 

To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit:Why Choose UCLH?

We welcome applications from individuals who are currently completing

the FDA Healthcare Play Specialism and are in their second year. If

successful, the trainee will be paid in accordance with annex 21 of NHS

Terms and Conditions (75% of maximum of Band 4) for the period leading

up until they are qualified.

This advert closes on Wednesday 11 Nov 2026

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