Part time – 22.5 hours / week
Join a world-leader in cancer treatment and research.
Work with a successful paediatric radiotherapy team, and an award-winning organisation which invests in its staff. Awarded outstanding by CQC.
We are looking for an experienced, motivated, forward thinking Health play specialist to work in our Paediatric unit within the Proton / Radiotherapy department. Our oncology treatments include conventional radiotherapy and Proton beam therapy.
At The Christie we see staff health and wellbeing and career development as our underpinning drive in delivering excellent patient care. We place a strong emphasis on personal and professional development, with opportunities to undertake further courses in support of your on-going professional development and career progression. We are supported by an award-winning education department.
In return we are seeking professional, flexible, motivated, and committed team members, capable of delivering high quality, patient focused care.
The successful candidate will hold the appropriate qualifications to be a registered Health Play Specialist and demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development. You will be committed to delivering high quality paediatric care with a desire to further develop your career within this rewarding specialty. You will need to have excellent communication skills, be highly motivated, organised and be able to work using your own initiative.
You will be required to work 22.5 hours/week. Clinical service hours - 7:00am to 19:00 including bank holidays. Shift pattens may vary and weekends for contingency are required
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.
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 participate in referral pathways for paediatric patients, taking a co-ordinating role where appropriate between internal and external professionals
- To be involved in the assessment and care planning of 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 multi-disciplinary team and wider hospital workers in order that children receive appropriate services.
- To supervise and support approved external organisations, facilitators, and volunteers providing entertainment, activities, or charitable donations for the paediatric service, ensuring all visits are delivered safely, appropriately, and in accordance with Trust policies and safeguarding requirements.
Service Development and Delivery
- Responsible for the continuous development, implementation, and maintenance of the play service at The Christie
- Ensure the standard of play is innovative and provides best practice and outcomes for the paediatric patients to ensure the minimal use of sedation / anaesthetic
- Liaises with the multidisciplinary team regarding the progress of paediatric patients within their treatment pathway on a weekly basis, ensuring care pathways and protocol deadlines/time scales are met
- Facilitate and deliver informal teaching sessions for staff within the Trust relating to paediatric care and play therapy
Clinical Governance
- To work within the Trust’s clinical governance and quality agenda, and to monitor
- practice standards
- To apply NAHPS Guidelines for Professional Practice and legislation relating to
- health and social care
- To act as an advocate for the child or adolescent, promoting and protecting their rights in line with relevant legislation, national guidance and professional standards. This includes ensuring children and young people are listened to, their views are considered, and they are supported to participate in decisions about their care in accordance with their age, understanding and individual needs.
Communication
- To establish effective communication, both verbal and written, with all members
- of the multidisciplinary team, with other Trust departments and with regional children’s services
- To communicate with families and children/young people using reassuring and positive language to encourage compliance within medical procedures
Research and Practice Development
- To ensure consultation with relevant members of the MDT and revise/amend services where necessary
- To identify relevant and current research and apply to practice.
- To be responsible for the development and implementation of local guidelines to ensure best practice
- To be responsible for the implementation and audit of the regional benchmarking
- standards
Documentation
- To ensure up to date written records and activity data are maintained in accordance with professional and Trust standards and provide specialist written reports relevant to the child’s care plan where necessary.
- To record and capture all paediatric activity within digital systems
- Participate and contribute to the weekly multidisciplinary team meetings to inform staff members of patient’s progress within their treatment
Professional Ethics
- To comply with the NAHPS Code of Professional Conduct and Trust Policies
- To respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of patients and
- their families, contribute to the provision of a sensitive service to meet these needs
- To demonstrate the ability to reflect on ethical issues
Professional and personal development
- To maintain a professional portfolio in line with HPSET recommendation for re-registration recording learning outcomes from participation in internal and external development opportunities
- To review and reflect on own practice through the effective use of clinical supervision and appraisal
- To participate in an agreed programme of personal development
Responsibility for Resources
- To ensure play equipment is maintained to a high standard, advising on resources to meet the needs of the service area, in accordance with Trust health and safety standards
- To ensure information resources relating to patients are collated in adherence with Trust Policy and presented to the multidisciplinary team
