Speech And Language Therapist, Senior, University Hospital

The National Trauma Strategy’s recommendations, and international best practice, state that Major Trauma Centres provide the highest level of specialist trauma care to the most severely injured patients on a single hospital site.

CUH is one of two Major Trauma Centres in Ireland. CUH/ HSE Southwest will provide emergency and acute care and a rehabilitation service for major trauma patients in the South Trauma Network

CUH currently treats c.150 major trauma patients (ISS>15- life threatening) and a further c.500 patients (ISS<15 – life altering) to include critical care trauma, neurotrauma, polytrauma and orthotrauma. New development posts for trauma in CUH is an enabler to support and build on the specialist clinical services and expertise that are already in place.

Cork University Hospital is the largest statutory / HSE hospital in Ireland and the only Model 4 (Specialist Academic Teaching) Hospital in the state with all acute surgical and medical specialties integrated on the same campus (Adults, Paediatrics, Maternity and Mental Health). It is a regional centre for secondary and tertiary care for the catchment area of HSE South, and also provides a number of supra-regional services in a range of specialities to the entire southern one third of Ireland, spanning 3 other RHA areas, and treating patients from the counties of Limerick, Clare, Kerry, Tipperary, Wexford, Carlow, Laois, Waterford and Kilkenny. At a national level CUH Wilton is one of two designated Major trauma centres in the country, one of two 24/7 neurosurgical and stroke thrombectomy centres, one of five 24/7 PPCI centres, one of four cardiothoracic surgical centres, one of two comprehensive coagulation & haemophilia centres, a cystic fibrosis centre, and one of eight (NCCP) Cancer Centres. CUH provides Level 3s Critical Care with regional services to include neurosurgery, cardiothoracics etc.

The Speech & Language Therapy Department provides care across Cork University Hospital, Cork University Maternity Hospital, St. Finbarrs Rehabilitation Unit & Mallow General Hospital.

The SLT Department is a dynamic work environment with service delivery provided across a wide range of adult & paediatric specialties including Geriatric Medicine, Radiation/Oncology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Respiratory Medicine, Cardiology, Critical Care, Paediatrics and Neonatology. It is also a clinical practice site for undergraduates from UCC.

Strong interagency working across community, hospitals and agency services takes place with a focus on the ongoing development of integrated care pathways across acute hospitals, sub-acute/rehabilitations hospitals, educational and community settings. The SLT service is committed to active service user involvement and continues to develop joint initiatives involving service users and key stakeholders in line with HSE policies.