Six Health Regions have been established within the HSE, on the basis of the geographical boundaries agreed by the Government in July **** and they will be operational from ****.
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
University Hospital Kerry is the second largest of the Health Service Executive – South West Area's seven acute hospitals.
The hospital provides acute general hospital services to the population of Co.
Kerry (139,616) and additionally, to a proportion of the populations of West Limerick and North Cork.
Services Include:
•Emergency Medicine
•Ear, Nose & Throat Services
•General Medicine including Medicine of the Elderly & Endocrinology
•General Surgery
•Gynaecology (Colposcopy & Urodynamics)
•Obstetrics
•Orthopaedics
•Paediatric including Special Baby Care Unit
•Pathology
•Psychiatry
•Radiography including C.T. Scanning Service.
•Renal Dialysis Satellite Unit
•Oncology Satellite Unit
•Palliative Care
The hospital provides a safe, effective, efficient pathology service on a twenty-four/seven basis to patients in Kerry, parts of Limerick and Cork.
Care is delivered in a variety of settings and new approaches and models of care to follow the care demands of the health service are being advanced within the context of overall healthcare reform, to include Sláintecare.
The Executive Management Board (EMB) in University Hospital Kerry has overarching responsibility for Infection Prevention and Control.
The Infection Control Committee provide updates to the Quality & Patient Safety Committee.
The Infection Control Team at UHK has developed and expanded to include an Infection Prevention & Control ADON, Infection Prevention & Control, Clinical Nurse Specialists (including CNS in MDRO), CNM2 for Surgical Site Surveillance and IVC Care Team.
The Infection Prevention & Control Team is further supported by the Clinical Lead Consultant Microbiologist, Surveillance Scientist and Antimicrobial Pharmacist.
The clinical lead Microbiologist in conjunction with the Director of Nursing will guide future developments within this department in line with existing and emerging national guidelines and developments.
As an Infection Prevention and Control (IP&C) team member the CNM2 Infection Prevention & Control will be a member of a number of Hospital committees to include:
•Decontamination Committee
•Hygiene Committee
•Antimicrobial Stewardship Committee
•Sepsis Committee
•Environmental Monitoring Committee
•Health & Safety / Infrastructural Risk Committee
•Infection Prevention & Control Committee
•Relevant surveillance or surgical committees
Purpose of Post The aim of the Clinical Nurse Manager 2 – Surgical Site Infection (SSI) Surveillance is to optimise patient care through the prevention, surveillance, investigation, liaison, education, research and control of health care acquired Infection (HCAI).
SSI surveillance is key for determining the current extent and burden of SSI, looking at trends over time, and assessing the impact of interventions that have been applied.
The appointed person will be responsible for the coordination and collection of SSI Surveillance data.
Promotion of best practice in relation to SSI through actively monitoring surveillance data and provision of feedback reports to healthcare staff
The appointed person will be required to provide and maintain a comprehensive, efficient and effective infection prevention and control service for patients and staff.
The appointee will work as a key member of the Infection Prevention & Control Team.
The Clinical Nurse Manager 2 – Surgical Site Infection Surveillance (SSIS) must carry out his/her responsibilities in a progressive and changing service, which meets with International and National Standards.
The CNM2 will have a key role in promoting clinical and professional leadership and promoting the values of the organisation, Health protection Surveillance Centre and HIQA Standards.
In fulfilling their role the post holder will work closer with multidisciplinary teams in the hospital of the HSE South West and will be responsible for supporting on-going and future projects assigned.
The CNM2 - Surgical Site Infection Surveillance will liaise with multiple departments in the course of their duties including (but not limited to)
•Microbiologist and laboratory services team
•Nursing/clinical and non-clinical departments
•Pharmacy Department
•Facilities Department
•Procurement Department
•Biomedical Engineering
•Management Team
•Medical colleagues
Informal Enquiries Ms.
Eileen Hickey, Assistant Director of Nursing, Infection Prevention and Control, UHK
Email: ******
Telephone: ***********