Registered Health Play Specialist Jane Craig has been nominated for an award by the Healthcare Play Specialist Education Trust.
Health Play is a role dedicated to supporting children and young people at the Royal Hospital for Children. Play is used to help children understand their condition and aims to reduce anxiety and worry around hospital treatment.
This often uses the Teddy Hospital, funded by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity. The team help children learn and feel prepared for any upcoming procedures. They use teddy bears, real and toy health care equipment to assist patients’ understanding and ease anxiety.
Jane has been nominated for CPD Profile of the Year by Healthcare Play Specialist Education Trust. She has been a qualified specialist since 2011 and has worked at the Royal Hospital for Children since 2016.
Jane Craig was commended by HPSET for both her professional development over the past year and for promoting health play as part of the multidisciplinary team within the hospital.
She has led on extending the hours of the Teddy Hospital so patients could have access on evening and weekends, as well as creating a pop-up hospital in the Royal Hospital for Children Atrium supported by Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity volunteer input.
Whilst the Teddy Hospital has been closed due to COVID-19, Jane and the team have still been able to deliver play support for patients through Teddy Ward Rounds.
Jane Craig, Health Play Specialist, said: “We are here to help all children and young people gain an understanding of the hospital and use play as a coping mechanism for what can be a stressful situation.
“I’m committed to promoting the positive role play can have on a child’s experience in hospital. We adapt to children’s individual needs, depending on their health-care requirements.
“It’s a rewarding job, where every day you get to make a difference in a patient’s journey.”
Gemma Kerr’s daughter Saoirse was treated at the Royal Hospital for Children earlier this year and was helped by Jane and the Teddy Hospital.
Gemma commented about the difference Jane made: “The work you put in with her prior to her scan and on the day of her scan made such a difference. You have broken down so many barriers with her and her fear of the hospital, doctors and nurses. The last time Saoirse has a scan it took over an hour to get her to even lie on the bed, you had her on the bed lying down in record time, only minutes. The once terrible ordeal was flipped to be an easy experience all because of your distraction and lovely way with her during the scan. You went out your way to get her cream for her bloods so she wouldn’t feel it which again made such a difference.”
ENDS