Play & Youth Service Team Lead | Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

A maternity cover has arisen to Lead our Play and Youth Services across both our West Middlesex and Chelsea sites with the Therapy Service team at Chelsea & Westminster.

The job involves leading the team, carrying a clinical caseload and working with members of the MDT. The team works across our main Paediatric wards on both sites.

You will be expected to liaise with our charity partners and other stakeholders in order to manage and promote the team.

There is significant scope to learn and improve your leadership skills working with the Paediatric Clinical lead as well as continuing and starting new projects for example the use of Virtual reality.

· To facilitate a positive climate for children and their facilities in healthcare, assisting with the strategic development of play to ensure delivery of a high quality and responsive service.

· To provide expert advice on all matters related to play for Children's Services, The Trust, plus affiliated health services.

· To take a lead concerning the recruitment of Play Service Staff

· To provide cross site line management, organisation, leadership and provision of play services supporting children and young people.

· To provide leadership for designated staff through clinical supervision and support/teaching and appraisal.

· To regularly supervise Hospital Play Specialist and degree level students on practice placement.

· To contribute to teaching and research opportunities relevant to play service.

· To maintain a personal clinical case load working as an advanced practitioner in play within the healthcare setting.

· To take responsibility, in liaison with the Clinical & Divisional lead, for the staff non pay budget.

· To participate in the planning, development and evaluation of play services within a designated area, holding responsibility for defined projects.

· To work with our charity partners and stakeholders to improve the care of our children and young people.

Our Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites-Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital-along with award-winning clinics across North West London.

Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5m, providing full clinical services including maternity, A&E and children's services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health care. The CQC rates us Good in safety, effectiveness, care and responsiveness, and Outstanding in leadership and resource use.

We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Mid.

We are delivering sustainable healthcare through our Green Plan. In line with Greener NHS ambitions, we aim for net zero carbon emissions by 2045. Achieving this requires collective effort. We encourage staff to reduce their impact on carbon, waste and pollution wherever possible. Every action counts to create a healthier, more sustainable future.

We are committed to equal opportunities and believe diversity drives innovation and excellence. We welcome applications from the global majority, veterans and underrepresented communities, valuing the perspectives they bring.

If you haven't heard from us within 3 weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probation.Some roles may require weekend shifts at multiple sites.

· To manage a caseload of children with complex needs, including issues around child protection; trauma, bereavement and loss; behavioural and emotional difficulties.

· To establish effective communication, both verbal and written with all members of the multidisciplinary team in child health and in other departments of the hospital where the children are treated.

· To manage and co-ordinate the day to day running of the hospital play programme and team.

· To contribute to the induction, orientation programmes and training of students and new MDT staff.

· To be responsible for organising the non-stock budget - maintaining stock and co-ordinating resources to meet the needs of the play service across paediatrics.

· To comply with the NAHPS Code of Professional Conduct and Trust policies.

· To apply specialist skills and knowledge in order to maintain professional competence.

· To work within the Trust's clinical governance and quality agenda, and to monitor practice standards