Meet the trailblazing Leeds Children’s Hospital play specialist who made one of her young patients her bridesmaid

Lisa Beaumont has gone above and beyond to help seriously ill children smile for 32 years - but the play specialist has faced a challenge like no other with Covid. Chris Burn reports.
Lisa Beaumont outside Leeds Children's Hospital.Lisa Beaumont outside Leeds Children's Hospital.
Lisa Beaumont outside Leeds Children's Hospital.

The coronavirus pandemic has upended all our lives in many ways but the impact has been particularly hard on families with seriously ill children due to isolation rules, strict limitations on hospital visitors and the closure of ward playrooms.  

Among the countless NHS staff who have rallied to make the best of the difficult new reality is the health-play specialist team at Leeds Children’s Hospital led by the trailblazing Lisa Beaumont.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Health-play specialists have a little-known but increasingly important role in many children’s hospitals, providing comfort, support and guidance through play to children and families who have often found themselves in deeply distressing situations.

Lisa pictured in 2012 trying out a scotter with a child on the renal, liver and gastro ward.
 
Picture: 
rossparry.co.uk / Glen MinikinLisa pictured in 2012 trying out a scotter with a child on the renal, liver and gastro ward.
 
Picture: 
rossparry.co.uk / Glen Minikin
Lisa pictured in 2012 trying out a scotter with a child on the renal, liver and gastro ward. Picture: rossparry.co.uk / Glen Minikin

With shared activities and toys removed for children in hospital to reduce the risk of coronavirus spreading, Lisa and her team have come up with inventive solutions to assist the children in their care – from getting young patients their own personal sets of arts and crafts materials to team members decorating their PPE, including with photographs of themselves to help retain a personal connection and provide reassurance.

After a challenging few months, the team’s efforts have now been celebrated with two national awards.

The Starlight Children’s Foundation, which provides services and materials to health-play specialists, has named the Leeds staff as their first Play Team of the Year, with manager Lisa – whose many other previous honours include a British Empire Medal – winning the Health-Play Specialist of the Year award.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lisa was nominated by her colleague Neoma Jacobs because of her dedication over the years and particularly during the pandemic. Neoma says: “Lisa has fought to take on new play staff and secured some permanent jobs. Without Lisa in her role, the play staff could have been removed from the wards during Covid-19 meaning hundreds of children would have gone without play and support during such a difficult time.”

Staff in the play team have been decorating their PPE to help reassure the children.Staff in the play team have been decorating their PPE to help reassure the children.
Staff in the play team have been decorating their PPE to help reassure the children.

Speaking via Zoom from her home in Barnsley, Lisa says: “It has been a double celebration. To win both is wonderful. I was a bit embarrassed when I got mine and I am so pleased we got the team award because we have all worked so hard at this difficult time.

“Being a play specialist working in Leeds Children’s Hospital has all sorts of things you have to manage around controlling infection.

“But obviously with Covid-19 it has been stepped up to a whole new level. Our playrooms have closed and we have had a really big push on our bedside activities.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lisa has been something of a pioneer in the field of health-play specialists, having got her job in Leeds after seeing an advert for the newly created role in The Yorkshire Post at a time when she was working as a nanny.

She now heads a team of more than 20 staff but admits the journey to having the importance of their work accepted in hospitals has not always been easy.

“It was not a very common job 30 years ago. Fortunately we have moved a long way since then. There is lots of evidence that shows the importance of play for children in hospital.”

Lisa initially started working on a ward for children with cystic fibrosis. “The ward sister said ‘I’m not sure what you are going to do’ and at that point I wasn’t totally sure either,” she recalls.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I gradually went from having a box for my materials to a drawer to a cupboard to a bigger cupboard, then a room, then a play room then a dedicated space. I just loved my job and in time I won this sister over.”

Her dedication to the role was such that she took a specialist health-play course in Bolton on her days off to increase her skills.

People thought ‘play’ – what are they going to do, play all day? In the first few weeks I wasn’t sure what I would do myself.

“But eventually you learn about positioning of patients and what you can and can’t do. It is a really collaborative process with the support of the nurses and doctors. We work together to make sure we all support the family.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She says she hopes she has contributed to a wider acceptance of why the role is important. “When I started I think there was one other person sponsored by a charity and believe I was the first to be employed by the NHS in Leeds.

“I would like to think the professionals I have worked with over the years could see the work I did added value. We have got people in higher places at the Children’s Hospital who have been on the wards in the past.”

Lisa says there are four main elements of play – the first being normalisation and offering the children choice over games and activities in an abnormal situation.

“They have little choice about their medicines and treatment but they can still choose their daily activities. It is often the only choice they might have that day.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The second part is preparation play, which helps children understand various medical procedures they will undergo.  “If you prepare a child for a blood test or cannulation they have a better understanding and are able to cope better.

“If you went to the dentist and thought it was just a check-up and then were told you are having three teeth out, most people would feel unprepared. It is the same thing. You break down the information at a level they understand.”

The third is distraction play while medical procedures are taking place  and the fourth is post-procedural play. She says success for her is that children “can come to the hospital in a calm, positive mindset”.

“They know there are going to be activities and someone to support them. We are one of the biggest children’s hospitals in the country and what we have built with our long-term hospitalised children is really important and it becomes part of their life and built into their treatment.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She says the job of helping seriously ill children, often with life-limiting illnesses, is deeply rewarding but also brings many tough moments.

“We are professional but there are situations that are heartbreaking and do impact on myself and my colleagues – we are only human.

“We aim to put the child and family at the heart of everything we do. Yes, we get upset but as a team we work through that together. It has been a privilege to be part of the journeys of these children.

“We don’t forget the children that pass away. I worked with one child 30 years ago who wanted to be a bridesmaid.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“When I got married, she was my bridesmaid. She absolutely loved it and it was absolutely magical. Sometimes you can do things that make a difference.”

She says when employing new health play specialists the key quality she looks for is a passion to make a difference.

“It is a bit of a gut instinct that has developed over the years. I’m looking for passion, enthusiasm and someone who loves children. You can have three degrees and 19 A-Levels but if you don’t have a passion for it that is very difficult to learn.”

On that measure, Beaumont undoubtedly leads by example.

In addition to her day job, every year Lisa organises a team of around 40 young people from Leeds Children’s Hospital to take part in the British Transplant Games and also manages the Team GB Juniors at the World Transplant Games.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She also works closely with charities including Make a Wish and Rays of Sunshine and in ordinary years, accompanies children on trips abroad such as skiing in Switzerland to help build their confidence.

So, does she get any downtime?

“I’m trying to address my work-life balance but it is difficult – because if you can help a sick child or make a difference, why wouldn’t you?”

Family’s praise for Lisa

The parent of a patient has praised Lisa for her work.

Kirstin McIlvaney, whose daughter Erin was treated at Leeds Children’s Hospital, says: “When you have a child that needs lifelong medical management, you need an army of people around you to help you and your family on that journey.

“We were very fortunate to have Lisa Beaumont as one of the generals in our army and she has helped us enormously on our journey with liver disease and a transplant.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dr Krutika Pau, director of children’s services at Starlight Children’s Foundation, says: “Throughout these uncertain times, play in hospitals has never been so important. Thousands of children are already contending with serious illnesses, adding shielding and isolation has had devastating implications on them and their families. Starlight Children’s Foundation research proves that play is a vital factor in reducing children’s’ feelings of pain associated with hospital treatment. Play and escapism helps children and young people build resilience in hospitals and can even lead to better engagement with treatment.

“This is not something we can pause during the Covid-19 crisis, which is why we have adapted to deliver virtual play and single-use play items, and why we are celebrating the dedication of hundreds of Health Play Specialists, such as Lisa and her team.

“But there’s more that can be done. For example, NHS hospitals are not equipped with good Wifi, which is vital to deliver fun and engaging virtual play and escapes for children.

“Better technology infrastructure could also vastly improve the ability for children and families to remain connected via video calls and give poorly children the chance to play virtually with friends and family.”

For more information about Starlight, visit their website.

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers.

So, please - if you can - pay for our work. Just £5 per month is the starting point. If you think that which we are trying to achieve is worth more, you can pay us what you think we are worth. By doing so, you will be investing in something that is becoming increasingly rare. Independent journalism that cares less about right and left and more about right and wrong. Journalism you can trust.

Thank you

James Mitchinson

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.