Psychologist Senior, University Maternity Hospital

Details of Service

The neonatal unit at Cork University Maternity Hospital provides tertiary (Level 3) neonatal care. The unit is at the centre of the Ireland South Women & Infants Network (ISWIN), supporting the neonatal services at University Hospital Waterford (Level 2), Tipperary University Hospital (Level 1) and University Hospital Kerry (Level 1). CUMH also supports University Maternity Hospital Limerick, in particular for neonatal neurocritical care and the provision of therapeutic hypothermia.

In 2024 there were 9788 total births in the directorate. These included CUMH 6585, UHK 987, UHW 1541 and TippUH 675. There were a total of 1924 infants admitted to the neonatal units across the network as follows; CUMH 1070, UHK 213, UHW 409 and TippUH 232. Approximately 70-80 Very low birth weight infants are cared for in CUMH annually.

The neonatal unit at CUMH has designated 37 neonatal cots, which includes 6 ICU, 6 high dependency and 25 special care cots. The unit is staffed by a team of 7 WTE Consultant neonatologists and an MDT of neonatal nursing and allied health and social care professionals.

The neonatal unit has long standing clinical and research interest in neonatal neurology, encephalopathy and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

The neonatal psychologist has a central role to play in the multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental follow up of high-risk newborn infants e.g. 1) VLBW infants, 2) Infants < 32 weeks gestation and 3) infants with neonatal encephalopathy at birth. We aim to provide a Bayley’s assessment for all these high risk infants at approximately 2 years of age.

Purpose of the Post

The neonatal psychologist will have a central role to play in the multidisciplinary neurodevelopmental follow up of high-risk newborn infants e.g. 1) VLBW infants, 2) Infants < 32 weeks gestation and 3) infants with neonatal encephalopathy at birth.

For further information about this role, contact

Name: Dr Heather Cronin, Principal Specialist Psychology/Lead for Cork University Maternity Hospital Psychology.

Tel: 087 287 3916

Email: heather.cronin2@hse.ie