Clinical Nurse Specialist, Candidate, Acute Haematology Oncology, University Hospital

Details of Service

Cork University Hospital (CUH) has approximately 800 beds and this will increase further to 1,000 beds on completion of the transfer of additional services to the CUH campus. CUH currently employs approximately 4,571 (WTE) staff of multiple professions and is the primary teaching hospital for the Faculty of Health and Science in University College Cork (UCC). UCC is the Academic partner of the South/South West Hospital Group. CUH has very strong relationships with each of the six schools within the Science Faculty of UCC and this is a key area for future development to maximise the opportunities for both the service and academia.

CUH is a recommended Major Trauma Centre for the Republic of Ireland due to the wide range of specialties delivered by the hospital – including Neurosciences, Cardiac Services, Orthopaedics, General Surgery, Renal, Internal Medicine, Vascular, Ophthalmology, Urology, Plastic Surgery, Maxillary-Facial, Paediatrics, Intensive Care, Oncology, Haematology, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Neonatology and Emergency Medicine.

CUH is the tertiary referral centre for the HSE Southern area, and the supra regional area of Limerick, Clare, Tipperary, Waterford and Kilkenny. CUH therefore acts as a regional centre for secondary and tertiary care for the catchment population of approx. 550,000 served by the HSE Southern area and a supra-regional centre for a total a population of 1.2 million.

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

• Midlands Louth Meath Community Health Organisation

• Community Healthcare Organisation Dublin North City and County

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 will become part of HSE South West health region from 3rd March 2025.

Cork University Hospital (CUH) is one of the nine designated cancer centres under the HSE National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP), and one of only two centres serving the southern region of Ireland. As an OECI-accredited Cancer Centre (2025), CUH is recognised for its commitment to delivering high-quality, patient-centred cancer care in line with European standards. The hospital operates in close partnership with University College Cork (UCC), fostering a strong academic and research environment that supports innovation and excellence in oncology services.

CUH provides comprehensive cancer care to a population across Cork, Kerry, South Tipperary, West Waterford, and South East Limerick. Services include diagnostic investigations, surgical oncology, haematology and medical oncology consultations, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Acute Haematology Oncology Service

The Acute Haematology Oncology Service (AHOS) focuses on the management and treatment of patients who present acutely with cancer treatment side-effects or as an emergency complication from a known cancer diagnosis.

The CNS AHOS will safeguard patients and minimise, where possible, their attendance to ED and their requirement for admission to hospital. The post holder will collaborate and liaise with the NCCP on strategic goals including those set out in the National Cancer Strategy 2017-2026 through working groups and other approaches to implementation.

The AHOS is pivotal in providing a non-ED direct access route for cancer patients who require review. Cancer patients who are on treatment and become unwell can access a CNS via a dedicated telephone line in any of the centres across the country that deliver systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT).

The service provides patients with access to specialist cancer nurse advice and support during the acute phase of their SACT treatment. Unwell patients who require additional clinical review are, where possible, seen in a dedicated space away from the ED. It reduces the requirement for patients to attend the ED and priorities appropriate ED referrals. The service is well placed to link with the MDT and community services as outlined in the Slaintecare strategy.

Purpose of the Post

As outlined in this job description, the cCNS pathway will facilitate the post holder to be supported to professionally and clinically develop the skills and knowledge required to achieve the competencies of the CNS role.

The cCNS (Acute Haematology Oncology) post holder will be enabled to deliver specialist nursing care to patients in line with the five core concepts of the role set out in the Framework for the Establishment of Clinical Nurse Specialist Posts, 4th edition, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery (NCNM) 2008.

Caseload

The cCNS will be supported to focus initially on the following patient groups: patients over 16yrs both inpatients and outpatients presenting under the Acute Haematology Oncology Service.

The cCNS clinical role is based on the five core concepts and associated competencies for the Clinical Nurse Specialist role as defined by the NCNM 4th edition (2008) in order to fulfil the role. The concepts are:

• Clinical Focus (Direct and Indirect Care)

• Service user/Service User Advocacy

• Education and Training

• Audit and Research

• Consultancy (including leadership in clinical practice)