National Recruitment Service

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Additional Campaign Information

HSE2014 STUDENT PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE RECRUITMENT SCHEME

Graduate/ Postgraduate Diploma (Nursing/Public Health Nursing)

REF: NRS1194

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for your interest in pursuing a career with the HSE.

This is some additional important information regarding this campaign. We strongly recommend that you read this document before applying for this campaign. Please note, in particular, the Terms and Conditions attached to this sponsorship programme.

The purpose of this sponsorship programme is to meet future service requirements for Public Health Nurses nationally. The ISA sponsoring area referred to in this document and elsewhere, refers to the location of your clinical placement for the duration of this sponsorship programme only.

The ISA sponsoring area does not dictate where the permanent posts that will be offered to successful candidates will be located.

In this document we lay out the regulations by which the campaign will run. It outlines what we require from you and in what format we require it, it also explains what will happen after the interview process and how panels will be managed.

This is to ensure that we have the same information from all candidates and that candidates are treated in the same manner.

1.Campaign Time Scales

The closing date for the HSE 2014 Student Public Health Nurse Recruitment Scheme Graduate/Postgraduate Diploma (Nursing/Public Health Nursing) is as follows:

Closing date for receipt of completed online Application Form is no later 5pm Friday 30th May 2014.

Closing date for receipt of all supporting documentation and supplementary forms toPostgraduate Application Centre (PAC), I Courthouse Square, Galway no later than 5pm Friday 30th May 2014

THIS MEANS THAT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER 5pm Friday 30th May 2014AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION/SUPPLEMENTARY FORMS RECEIVED AFTER 5pm Friday 30th May 2014WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

It is anticipated that interviews will be held from week commencing 30th June 2014 in HSE, National Recruitment Service, 20-23 Merchant’s Quay, Dublin 8.

  • Candidates who do not confirm their interview attendance prior to the date and time supplied in the invitation to interview will have their slot cancelled.
  1. How to apply for the HSE 2014 Student Public Health Nurse Recruitment Scheme Graduate/Postgraduate Diploma (Nursing/Public Health Nursing)

Candidates must apply for sponsorship online through

We will not be able to process applications by CV or any other method. This means that if you apply by any method other than the approved online application form you will not proceed to the next stage of the recruitment process.

NB This is a competency based application form. In order for your application to be considered, the supplementary section of the application form, i.e. the competency based questions, must be fully completed. If you do not complete all questions, we will be unable to process your application further.

Candidates please note the National Recruitment Service review applications after the closing date for the receipt of applications and supporting documentation/supplementary forms. This is due to the high volume of applications. The National Recruitment Service can only accept applications received by PAC by the closing date and time of 5pm Friday 30th May 2014.The National Recruitment Service can only accept supporting documentation/supplementary forms received by PAC by 5pm Friday 30th May 2014. This means that if you have sent the wrong version of your application form (e.g. blank, incomplete, etc), or have not submitted the requested relevant documentation, your application will not be processed further.

N.B. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NATIONAL RECRUITMENT SERVICES WILL MAINLY CONTACT YOU BY MOBILE PHONE, E-MAIL. SOME COMMUNICATIONS ARE SENT BY POST (e.g. INVITATIONS TO INTERVIEW, SELECTION PROCESS RESULTS) , THEREFORE IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT BOTH YOUR MOBILE TELEPHONE NUMBER & E-MAIL ADDRESS ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR APPLICATION AS WELL AS A POSTAL ADDRESS. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE YOU HAVE ACCESS TO YOUR MOBILE VOICE MAILS, TEXT MESSAGES AND EMAILS. THIS MEANS THAT IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE YOUR WORKMOBILE AND WORK EMAIL ADDRESSES YOU MAY RECEIVE COMMUNICATIONS THAT HAVE A TIME DEADLINE REQUIREMENT WHILE WORKING AWAY OR ON LEAVE.

  1. Who should apply?

Applicants who:

  • Are registered in the General Division of the Register of Nurses maintained by Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) or entitled to be so registered.
  • Have a minimum of two years, post registration experience in general nursing within the past 5 years (as at the 30th May 2014), 12 months of which must be consecutive, working a minimum of 8 hours per week.
  • Meet the academic criteria set by the relevant Higher Education Institute (HEI); Applicants whose first language or primary language of expression is not English must provide evidence that their English language ability meets the required standard for admission. The minimum required score is 7.0 on the IELTS assessment test.

4. Who cannot apply?

  1. Persons who are currently in receipt of a pension from any of the following superannuation schemes:
  1. Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS)
  2. HSE Employee Superannuation Scheme
  3. VoluntaryHospital's Superannuation Scheme (VHSS) (Officers or Non Officers Schemes)
  4. Nominated Health Agencies Superannuation Scheme (NHASS)

(Please see Appendix 1 for further details)

Applications received from candidates who fall under the above categories will not be processed further in the selection process; this means that you will not be invited to interview.

5. Will I get a sponsorship place through this campaign?

The allocation of places is based on –

a.Your placement, by order of merit, on the panel.

b.Integrated Service Areachoice for clinical placements only (max of 3 identified by applicant).

c.Availability of advertised Integrated Service Area (ISA) sponsored places.

d.3rd Level Institution choice and availability of maternal and child health module placements if required.

6. What happens at the end of my sponsorship?

The HSE will offer permanent employment on qualification to nurses who successfully complete the Public Health Nursing course. Successful candidates must commit to a two year, full-time assignment with the HSE. Please note that full-time assignments arising out of this training programme will be targeting the areas with the greatest service need. The majority of vacancies will be in the greater Dublin Area. The HSE reserve the right to allocate qualified PHNs, who have successfully completed this sponsorship programme, to a location that is no way connected to their clinical placement area.

In the event that you do not complete the 2 years continuous employment as a full-time permanent Public Health Nurse with the HSEfollowing successful completion of the course, you will be obliged to re-imburse the HSE with the cost of the course fee. If monies are not received debt recovery proceedings may be initiated against you.

A Student failing to obtain the Public Health Nursing qualification on completion of the course will, at the discretion of the ISA Area (Health Service Executive), be retained on probation to afford him/her one further opportunity of securing the qualification at repeat examination but in any event no later than the end of the following academic year (student PHN salary will apply). All expenses incurred as a result of repeat examination will be at the student’s own expense. In the event of failure to secure the qualification the appointment as a Public Health Nurse will not be ratified.

On successful completion of the course, any entitlement to return to a substantive post within the HSE will cease.

7. Where are the sponsorship places located?

There are 110 sponsorship places for clinical placements in each of the 16 ISA’s.

PHN Sponsorship 2014/2015 Locations
ISA / Former LHO / Approved No. of Sponsorships
Galway/Roscommon ISA / Galway / 5
Roscommon / 2
Mayo / Mayo / 2
Donegal / Donegal / 3
Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan / Sligo/Leitrim / 1
MidWest / Limerick/East Limerick/North Tipperary / 5
Carlow/Kilkenny/South Tipperary / Carlow/Kilkenny / 1
South Tipperary / 2
Waterford/Wexford / Wexford / 1
Waterford / 1
DublinNorthCity / North Central Dublin, North WestDublin 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 / 11
North Dublin / Dublin North / 12
Cavan/Monaghan / Cavan/Monaghan / 1
Louth/Meath / Louth/Meath / 5
Midlands / Laois/Offaly / 3
Longford/Westmeath / 3
Dublin South Central / Dublin South Central / 4
Dublin West / 7
Dublin South East/Wicklow / Dublin South East / 12
Wicklow / 5
Dublin South / 8
Kildare West Wicklow/Dublin South West / Kildare West Wicklow / 3
Dublin South West / 10
Cork North Lee / Cork North Lee / 3
Integrated Service Area / Contact Person / Email / Tel
Galway/Roscommon ISA / Kathleen Malee Director of Public Health Nursing, Galway / / 091-546341
Jan Flanagan Assistant Director of Public Health Nursing, Roscommon / / 0906-637587 /7584
Mayo ISA / Ann Boland Director of Public Health Nursing, Mayo / / 094-9042201
Donegal ISA / Eileen Quinn Director of Public Health Nursing, Donegal / / 074-91 04648
Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan ISA / Maire McGetrick Acting Director Public Health Nursing, Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan / / 071-9155172
MidWest ISA / Anne Lynott Director of Public Health Nursing, Limerick/East Limerick/North Tipperary / / 061-483986
Helen Brown Director of Public Health Nursing, Clare / / 065-6868032
Carlow/Kilkenny/South Tipperary ISA / Barbara McMahon Director of Public Health Nursing, Carlow/Kilkenny Carlow/Kilkenny / / 056-7784600
Esther Butler Acting Director of Public Health Nursing, South Tipperary / / 052-6177338 /
052 -6177288
Waterford/Wexford ISA / Mary B. Finn-Gilbride Director of Public Health Nursing, Wexford / / 053-9123522
Jean O'Keeffe Acting Director of Public Health Nursing, Waterford / / 051-842849 /
051-842898
Dublin North City ISA / Yvonne Fitzsimons Director of Public Health Nursing, HSEDublinNorthCity (Dublin North Central) / / 01-8467128
Marianne Healy Director of Public Health Nursing, HSEDublinNorthCity (North WestDublin) / . / 01-8975111
North Dublin ISA / Mary McDermott Director of Public Health Nursing, North Dublin / / 01-8164222
Cavan/Monaghan ISA / Edel Mc Aweeney Assistant Director of PHN, Cavan/Monaghan / / 049-4373126
Louth/Meath / Elaine O'Connell Acting Director of Public Health Nursing, Meath, / / 046-9280508/9280611
Catherine Smyth Director of Public Health Nursing, Louth / / 042-9332287
Midlands ISA / Bridget Catterson Director of Public Health Nursing, Laois/Offaly / / 057-9359547 / 057-9341301
Virginia Pye Director of Public Health Nursing, Longford/Westmeath / / 044-9395077 / 044-9395078
Dublin South Central ISA / Jenny Carroll Assistant Director of Public Health Nursing, Dublin South Central / / 01-6206311
Dublin South East/Wicklow ISA / Michele Megan Director of Public Health Nursing, Wicklow / / 0404-60700
Kay McIntyre Acting Assistant Director of Public Health Nursing, Dublin South East / / 01-2680324
Eileen Grehan Assistant Director of Public Health Nursing, Dublin South / / 01-2365200
Kildare West Wicklow/Dublin South West ISA / Ger McGoldrick Director of Public Health Nursing, Dublin South West / / 01-4154723/4710
Sheila Geoghegan Director of Public Health Nursing, Kildare West Wicklow / / 045-907814
Cork North Lee ISA / Ms.Cora Williams ADPHN
North Lee Public Health Nursing Services
Block 8,St.FinbarrsHospital
Douglas Rd, / / 021 4923891

Appendix 2 details a map of the ISA areas

The availability of Maternal and Child Health modular clinical placements is as follows:

HEI / Course start date / Maternity Placement sites and number of placements
UCC / 8th September 2014 / CorkUniversityMaternityHospital, Wilton, Cork 25
Total (25)
NUIG / 8th September 2014 / Mayo General Hospital Castlebar, Co. Mayo 2
Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway 3
UniversityHospitalGalway 7
SligoGeneralHospital, Sligo 7
Letterkenny General Hospital, Co. Donegal 7
Total (26)
UCD / 1st September 2014 / NationalMaternityHospital, Holles Street, Dublin7
Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, Co. Louth 10
WexfordGeneralHospital, Wexford 3
St. Luke's Hospital, Kilkenny3
RotundaMaternityHospital, Dublin 6
MidlandRegionalHospital Portlaoise2
MidlandRegionalHospital, Mullingar10
Total (41)

8. Interview Locations

Interviews will be held in the National Recruitment Service (NRS) Offices, 20-23 Merchant’s Quay, Dublin 8.

Interviews will be held in person only. Therefore candidates must be available to present for interview in Dublin. Interviews will be held on the dates specified by the National Recruitment Service and no subsequent or alternative interview dates will be offered to candidates. There will be no alternative interview methods e.g. telephone / video conferencing.

You will also be required to produce the following documentation prior to conducting your interview. Candidates who do not bring the required documentation listed below will not be admitted to interview.

  • Form of photographic identification i.e. driver’s licence, passport or student I.D. This identification will be checked and returned to you immediately on the day.
  • Garda Vetting Form - you will also be required to complete a Garda vetting form which will be forwarded to you by post with the invitation for interview. You will be required to fully complete this form and return it to the NRS staff on the day of interview. All candidates must complete the Garda vetting form. This includes current HSE employees. We strongly recommend that, to avoid delays on the day of interview, you complete your form as per the instructions enclosed with it.
  • Evidence of original and current Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) registration i.e. [provision of the candidate’s current Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)2014annual retention certificate (formerly PIN card) is required].
  • Original marriage certificate if the name on the Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI)annual retention certificate is different
  • Original proof of registration from Nursing Board appropriate to the country from where you gained your post registration general nursing experience.
  • Original Documentation for non EEA candidates showing you have permission to work and reside in the State, if applicable. (see appendix 5)
  • Original IELTS Certificate (International English Language Testing System), if applicable.
  • Original Academic Transcripts, if applicable.

9. What is the selection process?

a)Candidates must apply online through .

b)Candidates must forward all requested supporting documentation/supplementary forms to by email to or by post to PAC, I Courthouse Square, Galway, within the timeframes specified by the National Recruitment Service.

c)Candidates who apply must be suitably qualified (see above “2. Who Should Apply?”). Candidates should pay due attention to the “Professional Experience” section of their application form with regard to demonstrating their eligibility. Candidates who do not provide sufficient evidence of their eligibility will not be processed further.

d)Candidates must complete the “Competency Based Questions” section of the application form. Those applicants who do not fully complete the “Competency Based Questions” section of the application form will not be processed further.

e)A shortlisting exercise may apply based on the information you provide in your application form. This means that a shortlisting board comprised of Directors/ Assistant Directors of Public Health Nursing will shortlist applicants based on information put forward in the Competency Based Questions Section of their applicationform. Please note the criteria for shortlisting is based on the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria, skills, competencies and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you think about your experience in light of those requirements. Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being called forward to the next stage of the selection process (interview).

f)Those successful at the shortlisting stage will be placed on an order of merit and may be called to interview in ‘bands’. This means that competency-based interviews may be held on a phased basis, inviting candidates to interview based on their placement in the shortlisting exercise. This means that all candidates shortlisted may not be called to interview.

g)Candidates must meet the academic criteria set by the relevant Higher Education Institute (HEI)

h)Appointments will be subject to satisfactory references, Garda/Security clearance, medicals and other clearance requirements. On receipt of all satisfactory clearances, candidates will be issued with a Sponsorship Agreement which must be signed prior to commencing the course (see Appendix 3).

10. Formation of Panels

What is a panel?

A panel is a list of candidates successful at interview placed in order of merit. Candidates are awarded a mark during the interview process and the candidate who scores the highest mark is placed first on the panel. The allocation of places is based on –

a.Your placement, by order of merit, on the panel.

b.ISA choice for clinical placement only (max of 3 identified by applicant)

c.Availability of advertised ISA sponsored places

d.3rd Level Institution choice and availability of maternal and child health module placements if required.

Marking System

Candidates are given marks for skill areas during the interview. These elements are clearly indicated in the Application Form and Competency Based Questions.

Where two or more candidates score the same marks and are interested in the same ISA Area and HEI a further ranking process will apply. A previously agreed skill area of the interview will be chosen to further rank successful candidates e.g. Karen and Mary are both successful at interview. They have both applied for ISA Mayo and for NUIG. They both score 121 at interview, which would place them at joint number 3 on the panel for ISA Mayo.

If Professional Knowledge has been the secondary ranking chosen then the candidate who has scored highest in this area will receive the first job offer.

Karen scored 19 in the Professional Knowledge element and Mary scored 18. Karen will be number 3 a. on the panel and Mary will be number 3 b. on the panel.

Where candidates have the same mark on the secondary ranking, an additional ranking will be applied and so forth.

11. Acceptance / Refusal of Sponsorship Offers

The National Recruitment Service will require that you include in your application form your:

  • mobile telephone number
  • e-mail address

These are the communication channels which we will use to contact you. If you change your e-mail address or mobile telephone number it is your responsibility to inform the National Recruitment Service.

It is your responsibility to ensure you have access to your mobile voice mails, text messages and emails. This means that if you choose to use your work mobile and work email address you may receive communications that have a time deadline requirement while working away or on leave.

Should you be offered a sponsorship you will beoffered only one Higher Education Institute (HEI) place and one Integrated Service Area (ISA). If you decline this offer you will be removed from the panel.