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Written question asked by Tom Hayes (Labour) on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 8 January 2026. It was answered by Ashley Dalton (Labour) on Thursday, 15 January 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Children's Play: Health Services

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support paediatric settings to adopt the recommended Play Well standards in NHS England's Play Well toolkit published in June 2025.

Answer

The Department recognises the importance of supporting and maintaining children’s right to play in healthcare settings.

The NHS England and Starlight Play Well Toolkit, published in June 2025, includes the first national guidelines and standards for commissioning and delivering health play services in England. It aims to improve access to child-friendly care and specialised health play services across paediatric healthcare.

To support adoption of Play Well standards, NHS England is promoting the toolkit to managers of health play services across a wide range of settings, including community clinics, emergency departments, children’s hospices, and acute paediatric wards. The toolkit provides clear guidance on supporting practical training and mentorship in healthcare settings.

A range of communication channels have been used to raise awareness, including engagement with services via professional bodies, messaging via the Chief Nursing Officer, a blog posts and ongoing promotion of the toolkit across the National Health Service through operational delivery networks, directly to trusts and directly with professional groups.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
103603
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Children's play Health services Paediatrics
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk