Healthcare Assistant, Specialist Palliative Care Service, University Hospital

Details of Service

Six Health Regions have been established within the HSE, on the basis of the geographical boundaries agreed by the Government in July 2019.

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.

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

Kerry Specialist Palliative Care Service (KSPCS) is a HSE funded service which is managed by the Head of Service of UHK who reports to the IHA lead for Kerry. Kerry Hospice Foundation is a fundraising organisation who are core to development of KSPCS working in partnership with the HSE.

The Kerry Specialist Palliative Care Service (KSPCS) provided is currently led by three consultants, 24/7 on-call service which has proven of immense value to the hospital and community in improving palliative care services. The service is currently provided in the following settings:

· Specialist Palliative In Patient Unit

· Specialist Palliative Ambulatory Day unit

· Specialist Palliative Community Care Service

· Specialist Palliative Acute Care Service

Specialist Palliative Care in Patient Unit

There is currently a 15 bed Specialist Palliative Care Inpatient Unit in Kerry which opened in December 2017, and it is co-located to UHK. KSPCS is currently in Phase 3 Development building works, which includes building 5 extra bedrooms. These works we hope will be completed in 2027. Patients are admitted to the Inpatient Unit for complex symptom management and end of life care that cannot be met in other care settings. Staffing of the Unit includes a CNM II, CNM Is, RGNs, Healthcare Assistants, Porters, Administration staff, Allied Health Professionals including Pharmacist, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Pastoral Care, Speech and Language Therapy, Medical Social Workers and Dietician. There is a CNM3 responsible for the IPU and Day Service.

Community Specialist Palliative Care Service

The Kerry Community Specialist Palliative Care Service is delivered by one team divided in 2 due to the large geographical spread of the county and its population. There are 2 bases, one in the Specialist Palliative Care Unit UHK covering North Kerry and the second base in Killarney delivering a service to South Kerry. The community nursing team includes a CNM3, Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) and 2 Registered Advanced Nurse Practitioners (RANPs) for the Residential Care Facilities. In 2026, a new ANP will be recruited to join the community team.

The community service delivers a seven-day service to patients in their place of residence. This may be the patient’s home, community hospital or private nursing home. The team works closely with the General Practitioners, Public Health Nursing team and staff of Residential Care Facilities.

Specialist Palliative Day Service

The Specialist Palliative Care Ambulatory Day Unit is also co-located to UHK and opened in 2007. The service provides a mixed medical/social/supportive model of care. Staffing of the unit includes a CNM II, CNM1, RGNs, Healthcare Assistants, Porters, Administration staff, Allied Health Professionals including Pharmacist, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Pastoral Care, Speech and Language Therapy, Medical Social Workers, Dietician and Psychotherapist. There is a CNM3 responsible for the IPU and Day Service. Specialist Palliative Day Unit also offers complimentary therapy.

Acute Specialist Palliative Care Service - University Hospital Kerry

The Acute Specialist Palliative Care Service includes Consultants in Palliative Medicine, SPRs/Registrar, Senior House Officers, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Social Worker and Administration support. It provides 24/7 palliative care to UHK.

Purpose of the Post

The role of the Health Care Assistant is to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and to support nursing staff in the delivery of a person-centred approach to patient care under the supervision of the Clinical Nurse Manager (CNM2/CNM1) and Registered General Nurses (RGNs). The primary role of the Health Care Assistant is to assist the Nurse with direct and indirect patient care and associated duties as outlined in an agreed care plan and to contribute to an efficient, safe and friendly environment for care delivery.

Informal Enquiries

We welcome enquiries about the role.

Contact Liz Reidy, Clinical Nurse Manager 3, Kerry Specialist Palliative Care Services

Email: Liz.Reidy@hse.ie

For further information about the role.