Research and Insights

London health play specialist wins Starlight Health Play Innovation Award

Sophie Roffe, a Senior Heath Play Specialist at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH, part of King’s College NHS Foundation Trust) in Orpington, London, has been selected as one of this year’s joint winners.  

Sophie has designed a specialised clinic to support children who have severe anxiety about having blood tests. She uses therapeutic play and social stories to enable them to have blood tests without being held still by staff or as a last resort being sedated.

The sole health play specialist at the PRUH, she launched the clinic called Helping Hand Blood Test Support Clinic in January 2025. It runs once a week in the hospital’s phlebotomy department, in a space she has adapted to make it a calm, sensory-friendly environment for children with high levels of medical anxiety and additional needs. 

Reducing the need for sedation and restraint

Sophie, who was delighted to be selected as a joint winner, said that before the clinic was launched many children who found blood tests extremely distressing would sometimes have to be held still by staff or even given gas and air to calm them. On some occasions, as a last resort, they are sent to another hospital for general anaesthetic.  

“These experiences led to trauma, heightened fear of healthcare environments and damaged trust between families and services,” explained Sophie. “Children often avoided attending hospital appointments, resulting in delayed diagnosis and potentially increased medical risk. This widened existing health inequalities, particularly for children with learning disabilities and autism, who already face barriers in accessing timely and appropriate healthcare.” 

'Moral distress and operational challenges'

Sophie who created all the resources for the clinic herself, explained that the service had reduced the hospital’s costs as less staff were needed in the process. Importantly, she said the clinic has also had a positive impact on staff wellbeing because before the clinic existed, healthcare professionals also experienced “moral distress and operational challenges”.

Sophie has created a referral system for colleagues within the trust, for GPs and special educational needs schools. Children are booked in for a 30-minute session with her where they can explore the blood test equipment in her ‘teddy hospital’ and use play versions. Sophie also uses this time to prepare a ‘hospital passport’ - a support plan for the child when having the blood test and Sophie checks in with the child following their test to ensure they are happy.

Sophie said: “Children who could not tolerate their blood tests can now do so calmly and are not deterred from attending other appointments.” 

Case Study 

A nine-year-old girl was referred after traumatic, failed blood test attempts at another hospital, where she had been held still by staff. She arrived anxious and fearful of hospital settings. 

In Sophie’s clinic, she was given reassurance and choice. She practiced a secure cuddle with her mother, explored equipment, and chose alternatives (a softer tourniquet and numbing cream). A “hospital passport” was created for the patient to document her preferences and give her a sense of control. She also selected a book for distraction. 

She asked Sophie to accompany her to the blood test and she sat on her mother’s lap while being distracted with the book. Sophie said the procedure was completed successfully without distress – the child did not realise it had already happened and responded with pride and excitement. 

She added that the child’s mother was very emotional and grateful, noting the stark contrast to previous experiences. “The mum thanked me and said she would forever be grateful for my support in helping her daughter to have a positive blood test experience and turning her fear of hospitals around.  

“The case highlights how child-centred care, preparation, and empowerment can transform a traumatic medical experience into a positive one,” said Sophie. 

Between January and December 2025 75 children were referred to the Helping Hand clinic and 62 went on to have a successful blood test – an 83% success rate. 

Shevon Delena, Matron for Children with Learning Disabilities and Autism, who helped champion the clinic said: 

“Sophie plays a key role in the success of the Helping Hands Blood Test Support Clinic; her dedication and expertise continue to make a significant difference to patients and families. Despite operating without dedicated funding, the clinic has delivered meaningful clinical, emotional, and financial benefits, demonstrating the impact of specialist, trauma-informed care. This work strongly supports the Trust’s priorities around reducing health inequalities and improving patient experience. Sophie is the hospital’s only play specialist, making her contribution both unique and vital.” 

Sarah Harris, Senior Head of Nursing for Children and Young People at King’s College NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am thrilled that Sophie has been recognised for her innovative work with this clinic. The play specialist’s role is key to supporting and reducing anxiety of patients who access our clinics. We are all delighted that Sophie has been recognised in this way.” 

Cathy Gilman, Chief Executive of Starlight, said: “We love the Helping Hand clinic innovation - it enables children to feel understood and to build trust with healthcare professionals and to have their blood test and future appointments with confidence and without distress.  

“Spending time with Sophie in her child-centred preparation clinic not only means a less traumatic experience for the child and their carers but also for staff. Sophie also enables the child to have future blood tests with the correct support in place by creating the personalised pass. With her creativity and passion to improve healthcare experiences for children she has demonstrated the array of benefits of putting play at the heart of healthcare.”