Psychologist, Senior, CUH

Title of Post:

Psychologist, Senior, (Adult – Long Covid & Infectious Diseases), Cork University Hospital

This is a temporary 1 xWTE vacancy to cover a career break and will be based in the Long Covid Service, led by the LiaisonPsychiatry Service at Cork University Hospital.

A panel may be formed as a result of this campaign for Cork University Hospital from which current and future, permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full or part-time duration may be filled.

Details of Service:

A dedicated Senior Psychologist role will be split between the Long Covid Service and Infectious Diseases. They will provide clinical assessment and intervention to patients referred to these services. They may also be able to provide outreach and support clinical care pathways to patients from other hospitals in the Region

The Senior Psychologist will work with the Liaison Psychiatry team whom operationally lead the Long Covid service. The psychologist will report professionally to the Principal Psychology Manager, Hospital Psychology Department at Cork University Hospital.

The Liaison team itself provides an important role in triaging referrals and determining which patients would benefit most from psychological input. Liaison Psychiatry services at Cork University Hospital already provide assessment and treatment of individuals with mental health need referred from the hospital wards (including ICU), the Emergency Department and OPD (weekly neuropsychiatry, psych-oncology & general liaison clinics, monthly functional GI clinic).

Purpose of Post:

The purpose of this post is to support a psychological recovery service for patient presenting with Long Covid. This service is led by the Liaison Psychiatry Service at CUH.

The Senior Psychologist will:

· Work primarily with identified patients who have had psychological complications following COVID19 infection.

· Will contribute to and support the psychological and cognitive assessment of all patients, both transferred to other wards and post discharge as required.

· Will play a key role in the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and will offer consultation on matters such as communication, sleep, effects of sedation, anxiety, stress, mood, delirium, and family issues.

· Will work with colleagues in physiotherapy, occupational therapy to enable functional rehabilitation will offer consultation and clinical follow up where appropriate to patients attending post COVID-19 clinics in CUH.

Additionally, the post holder will provide a psychological service to patients under the care of the Infectious Diseases department (with an interest in HIV).

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 be taking place throughout 2025.

Informal Enquiries:

Dr Louise Reid, Principal Psychology Manager, Cork University Hospital

Tel. 0873667484

Email: Louise.reid1@hse.ie