Why is play important?

Play is an essential part of childhood - a child learns, develops, communicates and expresses them self through play.

Our play team are specially trained in providing play for sick children and young people. They provide our patients with the means to develop through fun and familiar activities, according to their age and ability, and to meet their social, emotional, developmental and cultural needs.

The team work closely with medical and nursing staff to make sure your children get the best care. Play has an important role to play in a child's wider treatment and to aid their recovery.

Play facilities

There is a large play centre with an outdoor area on level 5 which is available to all patients and their siblings. (Subject to Covid-19 restrictions).

We have play/activity rooms on most wards or waiting areas equipped with toys and activities for a range of ages. These can help entertain and distract while you are waiting to be seen during your hospital stay or while you are waiting to be seen in an outpatient clinic.

Ward Apollo 35 is our adolescent ward and includes three social areas that are well equipped with computer games, Wi-Fi access, air hockey, table football, a jukebox, and a range of activities and crafts specifically designed for this age group.

The play department provides normal every day play and specialist play preparation for children and young people in outpatient clinics and on the wards.

Play preparation or general play is a way to help children and young people deal with any fears or worries about hospital, illness or treatment and to form coping strategies.

Pre-admission programmes

Specialised play sessions at preadmission clinics prepare children and young people for a hospital admission, giving them the opportunity to identify and address any fears they may have. Individual sessions can also be arranged for those who are particularly anxious about their admission. Please contact the play department to request this service.

Therapeutic play preparation for hospital procedures

Using specially designed materials and resources, qualified staff prepare patients before going to theatre or undergoing procedures such as scans, X rays and blood tests. This helps children and young people to cope and become more confident. If you feel this would be beneficial, please contact your play specialist or nurse.

Distraction

Using a variety of techniques, the play team is able to support anxious patients during clinical procedures. We aim to reduce their fear by using distraction and coping strategies.

Post-procedural play

Post-procedural sessions allow patients time to play and talk about their hospital experience. It provides the opportunity for misconceptions to be corrected, and patients to be reassured.

Sensory

Sensory play is beneficial to all children and young people. New sounds, sights and textures can gently stimulate children and teach them about the world we live in. Sensory play is especially effective in babies who may have been in hospital since birth and are less familiar with noises outside of the hospital and for children and young people with special educational needs or disabilities.

Activities Program

The activities program runs on a daily basis across the hospital and includes (subject to Covid-19 restrictions):

• PAT dogs (pets as therapy)

• Visiting musicians and artists

• Professional children's entertainers

• WeTheCurious interactive science sessions

• Scouts

• Radio Lollipop

The play team consists of qualified health play specialists, play assistants and a dedicated group of volunteers. Read on to meet two of the team:

play tom

Hi, my name is Tom and I am just starting the second year of my foundation degree in Healthcare Play Specialism. I have worked at the hospital as a play assistant for just over a year while I studied which has been a great way to learn on the job.

I work on ward 35 mainly, which is the adolescent ward, where we look after young people aged 11+. Our patients might all have quite different conditions and needs but the ward environment is set up to suit older children to make them feel more comfortable.

My role involves providing activities to ease boredom, emotional support and distraction if someone is feeling low and helping the medical teams prepare young people for treatment.

I don't really have an average day. I start off with a handover from the nurses to check who is with us and how they are feeling. I then make a plan to see as many patients as possible and address their individual needs. I could start the day playing in a FIFA tournament, move onto an arty session with a group of patients and end up supporting a young person 121 in their private room by having a chat or watching a film.

I really enjoy group sessions on the ward - we recently had a graffiti artist deliver a workshop where the young people created designs for the refurbishment of the main corridor.

Away from the hospital I enjoy sport with friends, live music and watching box sets on Netflix.

laura play

Hello! My name is Laura & I am a Health Play Specialist (HPS). I joined Play Services here in 2007 as the first Health Play Assistant (HPA). In 2010, I qualified as a HPS so I have now been practicing for 7 years in my current role!

Previously, I have worked with babies, children & young people in a variety of settings for 14 years. Working with children in hospital is very different to working with 'well' children & i use play as a therapeutic tool to maintain a patient's developmental needs during their admission in hospital but also to help children to understand & cope with their own illness & treatment.

I work part-time at the Clinical Investigation Unit (CIU) & the Intensive Care Unit (PICU). I also have a caseload of patients who are referred for specialised play interventions.

My working day largely involves facilitating play opportunities to patient's at their bedside which is child-led, focussing on their developmental/ sensory play needs but also their interests & abilities on that day. I use specialised play techniques, including Preparation and Distraction to work therapeutically with patients, supporting them through their illness or a procedure that they are finding difficult to complete.

Children & play are fascinating & I really enjoy working with patient's & their families & seeing the difference that Play makes to their hospital journey.

At home, I am a keen camper, cat-lover & enjoy exploring the great outdoors with my family.

Here are a selection of photos of the team at play with patients and their families.

play gallery 1 play gallery 2

play gallery 3 play gallery 4

play gallery 5 play gallery 6

play gallery play gallery 2

Play in hospital

Why is play important?

Play is an essential part of childhood - a child learns, develops, communicates and expresses them self through play.

The team work closely with medical and nursing staff to make sure your children get the best care. Play has an important role to play in a child's wider treatment and to aid their recovery.

Play facilities

There is a large play centre with an outdoor area on level 5 which is available to all patients and their siblings. (Subject to Covid-19 restrictions).