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Pay for the right to play

In response to 'Make play priority for all departments' (News, 19 October), I am a qualified hospital play specialist working for the Mid Yorkshire Trust. Within our Trust there are three play specialists and six play leaders. Every breath of our working day is to promote the use and importance of play as a working tool. We are a progressive play team who have produced our own working documentation and policies. We strive to educate all the agencies and departments we may accompany a child to, to accept the role of play and the role of the play staff. We know that funding may be prioritised for specific equipment and that play will be at the bottom of the list, yet we grow tired of forever waiting for what we, and the National Service Framework, deem necessary to the rights of the children in their play while waiting in outpatients or being hospitalised.

We strive to educate all the agencies and departments we may accompany a child to, to accept the role of play and the role of the play staff. We know that funding may be prioritised for specific equipment and that play will be at the bottom of the list, yet we grow tired of forever waiting for what we, and the National Service Framework, deem necessary to the rights of the children in their play while waiting in outpatients or being hospitalised.

Many times we depend on the generosity of local businesses, patients'

parents and grandparents to help fund any new projects. The NHS is unable to request Lottery funds.

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