Health Play Specialist Study Day

This study day will explore the challenges children and young people, and their family, face during their cancer journey. 

During this day we will look at the role of technology to support children in hospital, caring for the whole family and the challenges they may face on a palliative pathway.

We will hear from speakers including those from the wider MDT such as a radiographer, healthcare play specialists, counsellor practitioner and palliative care nurse/consultant.

This study day is aimed at anyone who works with or is interested in working with children and young people in a hospital or hospice setting, particularly those who already work with children with an oncology diagnosis.

Provisional programme:

8.30-8.50 – Arrival and Refreshments

8.50-9.00 – Welcome 

Session 1: The Role of Technology to Support Children in Hospital – Help or Hindrance?

9.00-9.30 –The use of technology in MRI (Rosemary Hargrave + Radiographer)

9.30 – 10.00 – The use of VR (Chloe Dixon HPS Birmingham)

10.00-10.30 – DR.VR™

10.30-10.50 - Coffee Break

Session 2: Caring for the Whole Family

10.50 – 11.30 – Young Lives VS Cancer – challenges faced by families and support available (Rich)

11.30-12.00 – Supporting parents and siblings (Georgina Fisher Counsellor Practitioner)

12.00 – 12.30 The View of the Parent

12.30 – 1.30 Lunch and Networking

1.30-2.00 – Occupational Therapy

2.00-2.30 – The View of the Patient

Session 3: Challenges Faced on the Palliative Pathway

2.30-3.00 – The role of the Palliative Care team and the challenges families face (Juliet (Palliative Care Nurse) and/or Carolina Perez-Gonzalez (Palliative Care Consultant))

3.00-3:30 – The Role of the Health Play Specialist in a Hospice/Palliative Care (Vikki Kempster from Noah’s Ark Hospice)

Summary and Close – 3:30-3.45