Job overview

The Rainbow Centre at Newham University Hospital is looking to appoint a new play worker to join our dedicated and forward-thinking play team. You will be joining our experienced play specialist within the play team and another play worker.

The Rainbow Centre has a General Paediatric ward, A Day service and an Out-patients department at Newham University Hospital, which is based in busy and culturally diverse East London. Rainbow has a vibrant and colourful, welcoming atmosphere. There is also a dedicated Children’s Emergency Department in the hospital.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for an energetic and proactive play worker who is committed to working with children and young people within our Paediatric areas. You will be responsible for providing play opportunities, identifying the child’s emotional and developmental needs and supporting patients in doing daily activities. Your role will be vital in helping to reduce the anxiety surrounding hospital stays. You will be proactive in creating and maintaining an age-appropriate environment throughout the ward.

You will need to have experience of working with children and young people and be able to deal sensitively with families under stress. You will need to be able to engage easily with children and young people and be able to work effectively with your multi-disciplinary team colleagues to enhance the children and young people’s hospital experience. You will need to be a team player working as part of a fantastic supportive team where play and recreation is valued and respected as an integrated part of children’s and young people’s treatment.

To provide age/development appropriate activities to children and families whilst they receive care at Rainbow Centre.

Work with colleagues to plan appropriate distraction and support activities whilst receiving care within hospital.

Working for our organisation

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain’s leading healthcare providers.  

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.  

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.  

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.