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Hospital play specialist
Hours
37.5 per week
Starting salary
£13,000 + per year
If you enjoy being with children and want to help them during a difficult time, this job could be perfect for you. In this job you will help children cope during their time in hospital.
To do this job you will need the ability to build good relationships with children, and their parents and carers. You’ll need to be a good listener. And you’ll also need to be able to work with families under stress.
Before you start you will have to study for a Foundation Degree in Healthcare Play Specialism. To do the foundation degree, you will need a professional childcare qualification at level 3 or above.
WorkDesc
The work
Hospital play specialists use their understanding of child development and therapeutic play activities to help children cope with any pain, anxiety or fear they might experience during their time in hospital.
As a hospital play specialist, you would use play to prepare children for treatment, distract them during a procedure, and help them understand what they have experienced. You may also use play activities with children to:
- welcome them and help them settle in
- help them reach developmental goals
- encourage them to carry on their usual hobbies and interests during their hospital stay
- help them make friends with each other on the ward
- help them regain skills that they have lost as a result of their illness, and learn new skills.
Your job would also involve:
- carrying out therapeutic assessments, and designing play activities to meet children's individual needs
- planning and running play, art and craft activities at the bedside, on the ward or in a hospital play area
- creating an environment that encourages play
- talking to parents or carers about the value of play and suggesting suitable activities
- organising parties and other special events.
You would observe children during play and share your findings with other professionals involved in their treatment, such as doctors, nurses, speech therapists and psychologists.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would usually work 37.5 hours a week, which may include weekends. Part-time hours are widely available.
You would usually be based at a children's hospital. However, you could also work on a ward or department in a general hospital where children are admitted.
IncomeDesc
Income
Starting salaries for hospital play assistants may be around £13,000 to £15,000 a year.
Hospital play specialists can earn between £17,700 and £26,800 a year, and managers can earn up to around £33,500 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
You will need a Foundation Degree in Healthcare Play Specialism before you can work as a hospital play specialist and register with the Hospital Play Staff Education Trust (HPSET).
To do the foundation degree, you will need:
- a professional childcare qualification at level 3 or above
- two years' post qualifying work experience in a childcare setting
- key skills level 2 or equivalent in literacy and numeracy
- to be working in a health care setting for a minimum of 200 hours per year when you start the course - this can be paid or voluntary work.
The course takes two years and combines part-time study at college or university with supervised work placements in a hospital setting. You will need to find an experienced and qualified HPSET Registered Hospital Play Specialist who is willing to mentor and assess you in the workplace. When you have successfully completed both the work-based and academic requirements you will be eligible to register with HPSET and a gain a licence to practice.
Please note: for new entrants, the Foundation Degree in Healthcare Play Specialism replaces the Level 4 Diploma in Specialised Play for Sick Children and Young People.
See the HPSET website for details of training and a list of course providers.
Although many hospital play specialists have a background in nursery nursing, you could also do this work with experience and qualifications in other related areas, such as nursing, occupational therapy, social work, teaching, art, drama or music therapy.
Another route to qualification is to start as a hospital play assistant and study part-time. You will need to contact your local NHS trust for information about opportunities.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
You will be expected to develop your skills and knowledge throughout your career, and keep a record of your professional development.
As well as keeping up to date with new hospital play ideas and methods, you could develop your skills by taking courses in subjects such as psychology and counselling, teaching skills and complementary therapies.
You will need to re-register with the Hospital Play Staff Education Trust (HPSET) every five years. To renew your registration, you will need to have completed at least 400 hours of work as a hospital play specialist during the previous five years. You must also have completed at least five days or 30 hours of relevant learning activity. See the HPSET website for more details of professional development and registration.
Once you have around two years' experience after qualifying, you may be able to progress to a more senior position.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become a hospital play specialist, you will need to have:
- a clear understanding of therapeutic play and child development
- the ability to build good relationships with children, and their parents and carers
- an understanding of the emotional, physical and psychological needs of children and young people
- strong communication skills
- the ability to work with families under stress
- good organisation skills
- the ability to plan and run therapeutic activities
- the creativity to adapt activities to meet the needs of individual children
- the ability to work alone and as part of a team
- the ability to work with individuals and groups of children or young people
- patience and good listening skills
- a commitment to health and safety, child protection and non-discrimination.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
National Association of Hospital Play Staff (NAHPS) 
‘Fladgate’
Forty Green
Beaconsfield
Bucks
HP9 1XS
www.nahps.org.uk
NHS Careers
PO Box 2311
Bristol
BS2 2ZX
Tel: 0345 60 60 655
www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
Hospital Play Educational Trust (HPSET)
PO Box 1153
Postwick
Norwich
NR13 5WQ
Tel: 01603 700353
www.hpset.org.uk
Edexcel
www.edexcel.com
Health Learning and Skills Advice Line
Tel: 08000 150850
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
You will find most jobs in the NHS. You could work at a children’s hospital, which could involve being part of a large play department of up to 40 hospital play specialists. In a general hospital, you are likely to work in smaller teams in departments such as outpatient clinics, children’s units and adolescent wards.
You could go on to work outside of a hospital setting, for example in a child development centre, hospice, or within a community paediatric team. With experience, you could progress to team leader or team manager.
Vacancies are advertised in local and national newspapers and on the NHS Jobs website. You could also contact your local NHS Trust to find out about opportunities.
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
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