Health Play Specialist - Manchester, United Kingdom - The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

Verified Company

Manchester, United Kingdom

1 week ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

Permanent position, 37.5 hours per week.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within one of the 2 national proton beam therapy centres in the UK based at the Christie in Manchester.

We're recruiting for a health play specialist to join our dynamic and developing team within the Christie paediatric radiotherapy service.

A fundamental part of this role will be to prepare and support paediatric patients through their radiotherapy journey for both proton beam therapy and conventional radiotherapy.

The successful applicant will be part of a wider multi-disciplinary team working to deliver family centred individualised care, engaging with varying age groups to facilitate a positive experience from play preparation to completion of treatment.

The service is delivered Monday-Friday 7am - 7pm with occasional weekend/bank holiday work.

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year.

We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.

We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services.

We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year.

Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

To organise, initiate and supervise normal and specialised play for the sick

child aged 0-16 years requiring radiotherapy and/or attending The Christie for
day-case procedures, meeting their complex needs which are appropriate to
their development, medical condition and background. Majority of workload
will be in radiotherapy but there is an exception of post-holder to support all
paediatrics in the Trust

Tomonitor, prioritise and manage individual caseloads within designated

teams or as directed by the Senior Play Specialist/Team Leader.

To use evidence based practice and advanced knowledge and experience to

assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions for radiotherapy planning
(CT and MRI) and treatment delivery.

To manage, contribute and develop the maintenance of an age appropriate

environment where play and recreation occurs naturally and participate in
quality initiatives in the play and clinical teams.

Contribute to the development of efficient systems for specialised play and

participate in the planning, development and evaluation of play and youth
services within radiotherapy holding responsibility for defined projects.

Supervise HPS and other students on practice placement.
Actively work to improve the safety and quality of the specialised services for

children, contributing to safeguarding and sourcing funds for environmental
improvements, building partnerships with external funders.

Provide support for education activities for out of region patients.
Organize paediatric events for patients and families.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Clinical / Therapeutic

To identify and implement a wide range of therapeutic techniques to

help children and young people overcome hospitalisation and
complex difficulties within the hospital environment.

To provide advice and support for children and families throughout

the cancer treatment trajectory, signposting to external support
networks, services and organisations where appropriate.

To be involved in providing therapeutic play for a case load of

children and young people (some of which may be complex) and
consider individual and service need in collaboration with the
referrer, the child and family.

To provide assistance and advice to members of the multidisciplinary

team and wider hospital workers in order that children
receive appropriate specialised play.

To supervise workshop facilitators.
Support, develop and manage systems to ensure the smooth transfer of

children from one area of the Trust to another and from other healthcare
settings by providing age appropriate information about the patient's care and
treatment.