The power of play

Hospitals can be daunting environments. For Senior Health Play Specialist Pip Bradshaw, it’s her role to ease the anxieties a child may have about their procedure whether it be coming into hospital, a blood test, surgery, or treatment such as radiotherapy or scans.

Play and distraction therapies are powerful tools in helping to build a patient’s resilience and overcome their fears. Pip is part of a growing Play Specialist team that works across Alder Hey. We caught up with Pip to find out more. Based on Ward 3B Oncology and Heamatology for the last 33 years, Pip describes a typical day as “busy!”.

From checking for new overnight admissions and any planned procedures for the day to setting up the ward’s playroom. Pip is dedicated to ensuring her patients have the very best experience. Every child and young person are unique, with different needs and by building strong relationships with clinical teams and her patients, Pip can structure, facilitate, and supervise bespoke play activities whilst delivering diversional therapies and implement support for referrals.

“Activities, resources and toys are integral to the Play Service. Without these tools, our ability to encourage children to comply would be hugely impacted. We follow the Trust’s infection control guidelines, so ‘single use toys and activities’ are required in areas such as oncology where patients’ immune systems are suppressed.

All play staff use single use toys such as craft activities, small Lego kits and PlayDoh along with resources that can be cleaned thoroughly. Play-Doh can be costly but is essential and popular with our younger patients. It’s also a great preparation tool for cannulas and blood tests, encouraging the patient to squeeze it through their fingers improving access to the vein.

The number of patients requiring the support of the Play Specialist Team continues to grow and to meet their diverse needs, access to a variety of toys and craft activities that are suitable for all ages and development is required in every area of the hospital. It’s having access to a wide range of resources that can change the outcome of a procedure.

For example, a young child is extremely anxious about their blood test. He’s sitting on his hands and refusing to co-operate. By gaining his trust I find out he loves Dinosaurs and I have a box full of dinosaurs. It instantly creates a connection, reduces anxiety, and can make the difference between compliance and non-compliance.”

The vast array of sensory toys and equipment are used all day every day and are constantly being cleaned, checked for safety and disposed of and replaced, to ensure patients are kept safe.

Reflecting on the importance of her work and the wider team Pip believes “all children should have access to a Health Play Specialist. Play aids recovery and encourages positive outcomes.”

“Supporting a child, young person and their family on their journey from diagnosis and hospitalisation, I am constantly inspired by their ability to endure the many procedures and treatments. Offering diversional therapies and using play as a tool enables them to find their inner strength, coping strategies and build resilience to support them throughout their treatment protocol.