Advanced Midwife/nurse Practitioner, Candidate Ambulatory Gynaecology, University Maternity Hospital

Details of Service

Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) is a 150 bedded Tertiary Referral Centre for Maternity, Neonatology and Gynaecology located on the campus of Cork University Hospital. CUMH incorporates Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology Services in the Cork University Hospital Group within the Health Service Executive Southern region. CUMH has approximately 7,000 births per annum and is a tertiary referral centre.

Services at CUMH are delivered within SWHG, Ireland South Women’s and Infants Network which is based on the principles of partnership and integration and strongly supports the involvement of the multidisciplinary team in service provision.

CUMH is a site for clinical placements for student midwives and student nurses in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes delivered in partnership with University College Cork. CUMH Services incorporates the use of the MN-CMS (Maternal Newborn Clinical Management System) into care delivered at CUMH.

There are four Maternity Units in Ireland South Women and Infants Network – University Hospital Waterford, University Hospital Kerry, Cork University Maternity Hospital and Tipperary University Hospital - spanning four of the largest counties in the country. Maternity Services includes Neonatology and Gynaecology as well as Midwifery and Obstetrics. The Group’s Primary Academic partner is University College Cork. A wide range of educational programmes and research is conducted within all hospitals in the Group.

The cAN/MP in Ambulatory Gynaecology will be based at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH), a tertiary referral centre that provides comprehensive obstetric, neonatal, and gynaecology services. The Ambulatory Gynaecology service will incorporate:

The Cervical One‑Stop Assessment Clinic (COSAC), a rapid-access clinic model for women presenting with abnormal cervical appearances, post‑coital bleeding, and other symptoms requiring urgent cervical assessment. Integration of gynaecology ultrasound scanning (transvaginal and transabdominal) as a core diagnostic tool. Development of a rapid-access assessment for peri-menopausal bleeding, abnormal uterine bleeding, pelvic pain, and related urgent gynaecological presentations.

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Six Health Regions have been established within the HSE, on the basis of the geographical boundaries agreed by the Government in July 2019 and they will be operational from 2024.

Each Health Region will be tasked with population specific planning resourcing and delivery of health and social care services for the needs of its unique population. This will result in improved accountability and governance in terms of finance and performance, while also bringing decision-making closer to the frontline.

Health Regions will enable and empower staff to provide services that are:

• Integrated, locally planned and delivered

• Easier to access and navigate

• Available closer to home

Health Regions are geographically based units with clearly defined populations. They align community and hospital services within specific areas. The HSE will retain a strong but leaner central organisation, with more service provision developed at a local level.

The HSE South West health region will manage and deliver all public health and social care services in Cork and Kerry. HSE South West includes all hospital and community healthcare services in the region.

This includes:

• South / South West Hospital Group S/SWHG

• Cork Kerry Community Healthcare CKCH

The Department of Population and Public Health is also now aligned with this health region

Services in the South West health region:

HSE Services working within this region include:

• Acute Hospitals

• Primary care services

• Community services

• Social care services

• Health and social care professionals

• Voluntary sector services

South / South West Hospital Group and Cork Kerry Community Healthcare became part of HSE South West health region on 3rd March 2025 and the transition to the new structures will continue throughout 2026

Purpose of the post

The purpose of this post is to develop the clinical, academic, and leadership competencies required to practice as a Registered Advanced Nurse/Midwife Practitioner in Ambulatory Gynaecology. The role supports advanced, evidence‑based nurse-led care for:

• Women attending the Cervical One‑Stop Assessment Clinic (COSAC)

• Assessment of women for abnormal cervical findings and post‑coital bleeding

• Women requiring rapid access assessment for urgent gynaecology concerns

• Women with peri-menopausal and abnormal uterine bleeding

• Women requiring gynaecology ultrasound assessment

The COSAC model, supported by national evidence, enhances timely cervical evaluation and reduces pressure on colposcopy services.

The cAN/MP will gain advanced skills in assessment, diagnosis, ultrasound, clinical decision‑making, and service leadership, progressing toward autonomous AN/MP practice in line with NMBI Standards (2017).

The individual will undertake the academic preparation and develop the clinical and leadership skills, competencies and knowledge required to meet the criteria to be registered as a RANP with NMBI. The scope of the cAN/MP role must reflect the incremental development of expertise and as such, the cAN/MP cannot deliver care as an autonomous practitioner.

The individual will complete and submit the necessary documentation for registration as an RAN/MP with NMBI. The value of the nursing contribution as a distinct profession must be safeguarded and articulated in the development of new services led by advanced nurse practitioners, complementing rather than replacing current services delivered by doctors (NMBI 2017 p.9). The overall purpose of the post is to provide safe, timely, evidenced based nurse-led care to patients at an advanced nursing level.

This involves undertaking and documenting a complete episode of patient care (assess, diagnose, plan, treat and discharge patients) according to collaboratively agreed protocols and scope of practice in the clinical setting; demonstrating advanced clinical and theoretical knowledge, critical thinking, clinical leadership and decision making skills. The advanced practice role demonstrates a high degree of knowledge, skill and experience that is applied within the nurse-patient/client relationship to achieve optimal outcomes through critical analysis, problem solving and accurate decision making (NMBI, 2017).

Central to this is the provision of quality care, a safe environment and processes for patients by the use of evidence based clinical guidelines that address patient expectations, promote wellness and evaluate care given. The role will provide clinical leadership and professional scholarship in order to develop nursing practice and health policy at local, regional and national level. The role will contribute to nursing research to shape and advance nursing practice, education and health care policy at local, national and international levels

Informal Enquiries

We welcome enquiries about the role.

Name: Katie Bourke, Director of Midwifery, CUMH

Email: Katie.Bourke@hse.ie

Telephone: 086-8231188

Name: Lorraine O’Connor, Assistant Director of Nursing, CUMH

Email: lorraine.oconnor4@hse.ie

Telephone: 021 4920522

Contact Meagan McGlynn - People Resourcing, meagan.mcglynn@hse.ie – for enquiries relating to the recruitment process