HSE West and North West is recruiting a Public Health Nurse — Infant Feeding Specialist (Lactation Consultant) to join the Public Health Nursing Service across Sligo, South Donegal / Leitrim, and West Cavan. This is a specialist post for an experienced registered nurse with advanced lactation expertise, offering a permanent or specified purpose contract within a supportive community nursing service. Reference: SLPC2631.
About the Role
This post sits within the Public Health Nursing Service in HSE West and North West and carries a dedicated focus on infant feeding and lactation support across a wide community catchment area spanning Sligo, South Donegal / Leitrim, and West Cavan. The successful candidate will bring recognised clinical expertise as a Lactation Consultant and will play a leading role in supporting families, guiding practice, and contributing to the development of infant feeding services in the region.
One permanent (1 WTE) post is currently available. A panel will be formed from this campaign from which current and future permanent and specified purpose vacancies of full-time or part-time duration may be filled.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide specialist lactation consultancy and infant feeding support across the assigned community area.
- Act as a clinical resource and expert advisor on infant feeding for colleagues, multidisciplinary teams, and service managers.
- Support families in establishing and maintaining breastfeeding, including complex cases requiring specialist intervention.
- Contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of infant feeding policies, guidelines, and education programmes.
- Deliver education and training to nursing and allied health staff on best practice in infant feeding and lactation care.
- Maintain accurate clinical records and contribute to service audit and quality improvement initiatives.
- Practice safely and effectively within your professional scope as a registered nurse and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).
Requirements / Qualifications
- Current registration on the active Register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) in the division applicable to this post.
- Minimum of 5 years’ full-time post-registration experience (or an aggregate of 5 years full-time equivalent) following registration in the relevant division of the register.
- Extensive experience and clinical expertise in infant feeding and lactation consultancy.
- International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) qualification or evidence of working towards certification (desirable).
- Demonstrated ability to practice safely and effectively, fulfilling professional responsibility within scope of practice.
Salary
This post is remunerated on the HSE Public Health Nurse salary scale (Grade 2828): €62,699 – €79,227 per annum (11-point scale, plus Long Service Increments), based on the HSE Consolidated Salary Scales effective 1 June 2026. Pay is pro-rata for part-time or worksharing posts.
Location
The post is based within the Public Health Nursing Service, Sligo, South Donegal / Leitrim, West Cavan, operating under HSE West and North West. The service covers a broad geographic area across Counties Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, and Cavan, delivering essential community health nursing to families and individuals in both urban and rural settings. The successful candidate will contribute to a service that is central to primary care delivery across this region.
Contract Type
Permanent Wholetime / Permanent Part-time / Specified Purpose Wholetime / Specified Purpose Part-time. One permanent (1 WTE) post is available immediately. Additional vacancies may be filled from the panel formed as a result of this campaign.
Application Details
Applications must be submitted online via Rezoomo. To apply, visit: https://www.rezoomo.com/job/99691/
Reference: SLPC2631
Proposed Interview Date
To be confirmed.
Informal Enquiries
For all enquiries, please contact: Ms. Máire McGetrick, Director of Public Health Nursing, Sligo, South Donegal / Leitrim, West Cavan, Primary Care Services.
Email: maire.mcgetrick@hse.ie
Telephone: 087 982 4307
