Latest News from the East Midlands Branch:
The first East Midlands branch networking group met at Derby Children's Hospital in November 2014. Frances Watson (Senior Health Play Specialist) hosted representatives from Leicester, Northampton, Kettering, Peterborough and Nottingham Children's Services. We are planning the next meeting in March (TBC) which will be held at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
If you belong to a hospital nearby or in the East of England and are interested in joining us please contact [email protected] for more details.
Regional Networking Groups
Would you like to meet with other hospital and community play staff in your area to share views and ideas? There are many groups of hospital and community play staff across the country that meet regularly.
What happens at these group meetings?
Normally these groups meet about 3 to 4 times a year, and take place at the hospitals of each of the members of the group, in turn. These groups are a good place to exchange ideas and gain support from other play staff. Recently topics that have been discussed at group meetings include; Agenda for Change, KSF, the National Service Framework for Children and the Healthcare Commission Report. Some groups invite outside speakers or provide presentations themselves to make it a study day and give attendance certificates. For some these meetings take place all day and others are for just a few hours. The groups mainly take place on a workday, but some do take place at weekends, it is up to your group to decide these details.
Who are these groups for?
Play specialists, play assistants, play leaders, student play specialists, play team volunteers as well as any play staff who are currently not working in the profession and want to keep their skills up to date. For more information about any of the groups for hospital and community play staff or if you are interested in setting up a new group, please contact NAHPS Branch Liaison Officer Vanessa Daniels via: [email protected]
Recently we have had several play specialists enquiring about setting up a networking group for London and the surrounding areas. If anyone is interested in being involved in a group in this area, please do let me know. Also, please let us know if you are trying to set up a group in another area of the country and would like help or if you are already running a group not listed here.
Regional Branch Groups
Please note - these groups are being revised/updated as per Jan 2016
- watch this space
NAHPS Branch Liaison Officer - Vanessa Daniels: [email protected]
North East Area - Now looking for new members!!
Group Contact – Dan Notley
North West Area:
Northern Area:
East Anglian Regional Group:
Group contact - Steph Fairbain – [email protected]
South West Area:
South East and London Area:
London & South East Play Managers Forum
Group Contact - Irene O'Donnell - Irene.O'[email protected]
NEW- London networking group
Group contact- Sarah Otley Senior HPS The Whittington Hospital [email protected]
Networking Group Scotland
Group Contact - Ishbel Proctor - [email protected]
Welsh Area:
NAHPS community play specialist forum
Group contact- Danielle Pearce and Lisa Dodd [email protected]
International Organisations
Irish Association of Hospital Play Staff
Contact – Veronica Mills - [email protected]
NAHPS holds contact details of hospital play staff in many countries around the world.
If you are visiting another country or would just like to make contact with play staff in other countries, please contact Vanessa.
