Play Assistant

PLAY ASSISTANT BAND 3

Play Assistant Full time post

This posts is based in the Children's Hospital. You will work alongside experienced Health Play Specialists offering normalised play for the Hospitalised child. This opportunity will be based on an inpatient ward.

Main duties of the job

The Play Team and the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust recognises the importance of play and the impact it can have on a patient's experience, so we are looking for someone who is committed to meeting the needs and engaging effectively with children and young people showing care and compassion in their work.

The successful applicant can learn and develop new skills with the support of the play team and help to promote the play services .

About us

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here www.ouh.nhs.uk

The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call thisDelivering Compassionate Excellenceand its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH YouTube channel.

Details

Date posted

13 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£25,760 to £27,476 a year

Per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time,

Part-time

Reference number

321-NOTSS-8091588-B3

Job locations

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Oxford

OX39DU

United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

For this post we require

• A Child care qualification equivalent to the NVQ Level 3
• minimum 1 year post Level 3 qualification experience of working with children
• or
• Undertaking the Foundation degree in Hospital Play specialism.

Job responsibilities

For this post we require

• A Child care qualification equivalent to the NVQ Level 3
• minimum 1 year post Level 3 qualification experience of working with children
• or
• Undertaking the Foundation degree in Hospital Play specialism.

Person Specification

Criteria for the Play Assistant role

Essential

• Experience and evidence of further development
• Evidence of working within a MDT team

Desirable

• Experience with adolescents and children with challenging behaviour

Person Specification

Criteria for the Play Assistant role

Essential

• Experience and evidence of further development
• Evidence of working within a MDT team

Desirable

• Experience with adolescents and children with challenging behaviour

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Oxford

OX39DU

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

John Radcliffe Hospital

Headley Way

Oxford

OX39DU

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job responsibilities

For this post we require

• A Child care qualification equivalent to the NVQ Level 3
• minimum 1 year post Level 3 qualification experience of working with children
• or
• Undertaking the Foundation degree in Hospital Play specialism.

Criteria for the Play Assistant role

Essential

• Experience and evidence of further development
• Evidence of working within a MDT team

Desirable

• Experience with adolescents and children with challenging behaviour