Play services video transcript

Below is the audio transcript of the video about the Play department at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

Sasha: "Play is for everybody on the ward; our siblings, our teenagers, grandparents, parents, uncles, cousins. We get everybody involved.

"We can do everything through play. Children learn through play, we can also assess children through play as well. So if they need to move their arm or their hand or their foot, then we can encourage the play to help do this.

"We're quite lucky up here because we have an adolescent room as well and we have internet access. And we get Facebook so our teenagers are sorted. William, what are you doing with the X-ray today?"

William: "She's twisted it because when she was born it was like that."

Sasha: "Just twisted to the left? Is that what happened to you William, was yours twisted? Will she have a bandage or will she have a plaster?"

William: "Yeh, yeh, I think that's a good idea don't you? [laughing]"

Sasha: "Medical play helps children because they learn through play as well, so it helps them feel more comfortable with the equipment, like the syringes. We do syringe painting with the children as well which ends up really messy! We've got plasters, bandages; all of the equipment they would use here in the hospital we let the children play with as well, so that they are used to it.

"We have the education site. Teachers come and assess the children when they come in and if they are here long-term, they enrol them in the school downstairs. If children come in with work from school, they can get some help to do that, especially if they're studying for their GCSE's and things.

"You might have a celebrity visit. I mean it's not always guaranteed, but when it does come it is a big treat and the children absolutely love it and so do their families as well. They take lots of pictures so that they've got something rewarding and positive from their hospital experience that they can take back and share with their friends."

William: "Can you get this thing off my head please?"

Sasha: "Ahhh, are you ready?

"I just really enjoy my job here, it's really rewarding. You make it as fun as possible and try and make it a positive experience for the child and their families coming to visit the hospital.

"Have you finished on that one Lucy? Well done!"