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Child hospital trauma: Play staff shortage crisis
17 Sep
Summary
- Only 955 play professionals serve 21 million child admissions yearly.
- Staffing levels are far below recommendations, risking lifelong trauma.
- Lack of dedicated budgets creates inequitable access to therapeutic play.
Analysis reveals that English hospitals are exposing children with serious illnesses to preventable trauma because of a critical deficit in health play professionals. These vital workers support children through the anxiety of medical treatments by offering play-based interventions.
Currently, only 955 full-time equivalent health play professionals are employed across NHS hospitals in England. They cater to approximately 21 million child hospital admissions each year, resulting in a ratio of about one professional for every 22,061 admissions, which falls drastically short of the recommended one per 2,230.
Research indicates that positive healthcare experiences facilitated by play specialists can reduce distress and prevent future healthcare avoidance. One parent shared how play specialists helped her daughter cope with leukemia treatment, highlighting their essential role beyond mere entertainment.
Compounding the shortage, only 23% of NHS trusts have dedicated budgets for training these professionals, creating an inequitable access to therapeutic play support across the UK. No integrated care board currently possesses a dedicated health play budget, and only 5% include it in their children's strategies.
