Clinical Nurse Specialist Candidate, STI Services Prep, 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 3,269 (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 one of only two Major Trauma Centres in 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 JAG accredited and is a Magnet4Europe Hospital.

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 1.1 million.

Provision of HIV PrEP as part of combination HIV prevention in Ireland

Cork University Hospital Infectious Diseases Department is the largest ID/STI service in the SSWHG. It provides clinics in the following locations :

Cork University Hospital – HIV/ID/Hepatitis B

South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital – GUM/STI Service

University Hospital Kerry - GUM/STI Service

Youth Health Service – Penrose House, Penrose Quay, Cork

It offers comprehensive screening, diagnosis and treatment of all Sexually Transmitted Infections, including HIV/Hepatitis B.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is the pre-emptive use of oral antiretroviral therapy by HIV negative people to reduce the risk of HIV infection.

In 2019, HIQA published the findings of the Health Technology Assessment of a PrEP programme for populations at substantial risks of sexual acquisition of HIV. The report concluded that the successful implementation of a national PrEP programme would be safe, effective and cost-saving over the medium to long-term in Ireland. In line with HIQA HTA recommendations, a national roll out of PrEP commenced in November 2019.

The Sexual Health and Crisis Pregnancy Programme (SHCPP) has nominated CUH ID/ GUM Department, currently based in SIVUH, as the SSWHG hub for the provision of a PrEP service in the area. The service will operate within the National Standards for the Delivery and Management of PrEP for HIV in Ireland.

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

Caseload

The cCNS will focus initially on the following service user groups:

HIV negative patients, aged 17 years and older, who are clinically eligible for PrEP. The cCNS will work in collaboration with the Clinical Lead on the management, development and delivery of a dedicated PrEP service to the relevant patients attending the service.

The cCNS clinical role is based on the core concepts and associated competencies for the CNS (adapted from NCNM 4th edition 2008)

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)

Informal Enquiries

Ciaran Sweeney, Assistant Director of Nursing

Mobile: 087 0921093

Email: Ciaran.Sweeney@hse.ie