HSE South West is recruiting a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) — ED Liaison, known in Irish as Sain-Altra Cliniciúil (Meabhairshláinte), based in Cork. This is a permanent, wholetime post offering an outstanding opportunity for an experienced mental health nurse to lead specialist liaison nursing practice at the interface between CAMHS and emergency department services.
About the Role
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (Mental Health) — CAMHS ED Liaison post sits within HSE South West and is aligned to the HSE South West Kerry and Cork recruiter area. The successful candidate will function as an advanced-level nursing practitioner within CAMHS, providing specialist clinical assessment, intervention, and liaison support to children and adolescents presenting to emergency departments with acute mental health needs.
This role demands both clinical depth and collaborative leadership, working at the nexus of CAMHS and acute hospital services to ensure safe, timely, and clinically appropriate pathways for young people in mental health crisis.
Key Responsibilities
The following responsibilities are drafted from the CNS (Mental Health) grade profile. Candidates should download and review the official Job Specification from the Rezoomo advertisement for the definitive list of duties before applying.
- Provide specialist clinical nursing assessment and intervention for children and adolescents presenting to the emergency department with mental health presentations.
- Act as the primary CAMHS liaison point of contact within the ED setting, coordinating safe and timely referral pathways between CAMHS and acute hospital services.
- Develop, implement, and evaluate care plans in partnership with young people, their families, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Provide clinical consultation, advice, and education to ED nursing and medical staff regarding mental health presentations in children and adolescents.
- Contribute to the development and review of clinical policies, procedures, protocols, and guidelines (PPPGs) relevant to CAMHS ED liaison practice.
- Maintain accurate, timely clinical documentation in line with professional and HSE standards.
- Participate in service planning, audit, and quality improvement initiatives within CAMHS and the broader mental health service.
- Support the clinical supervision and professional development of junior nursing staff where appropriate.
- Engage in ongoing professional development and maintain competency in line with NMBI standards and CNS post-holder requirements.
Requirements and Qualifications
The following eligibility criteria are based on the CNS (Mental Health) grade profile. Candidates must verify the definitive eligibility requirements in the official Job Specification available on Rezoomo.
- Be registered in the Psychiatric Division of the Register of Nurses and Midwives held by NMBI, or be entitled to be so registered.
- Hold a postgraduate qualification in a relevant specialist area (Child and Adolescent Mental Health or equivalent), or demonstrate equivalent clinical competency and experience.
- Have a minimum of one year’s post-registration experience in a relevant specialist or related area (requirements may vary — see Job Specification).
- Demonstrate significant clinical experience working with children and adolescents with mental health needs.
- Possess strong communication, liaison, and multidisciplinary teamwork skills.
- Demonstrate ability to work autonomously and manage complex clinical presentations in a fast-paced environment.
Salary
€62,699 – €79,227 per annum (HSE Clinical Nurse Specialist (Mental Health) scale, Grade Code 2625, 11-point scale, plus Long Service Increments where applicable). Salary is based on the HSE Consolidated Salary Scales effective 1 June 2026.
Location
This post is based in Cork and forms part of the HSE South West health region. The CAMHS ED Liaison CNS will operate within Cork’s acute hospital and community mental health infrastructure, supporting young people at a critical and high-impact point of contact within the health system.
Contract Type
Permanent Wholetime.
Application Details
Applications must be submitted via Rezoomo. Please ensure you download, save, and read the Job Specification and Applicant Information Document, both of which are available at the bottom of the Rezoomo advertisement. A Guide to Completing Competency Questions is also available at the bottom of the advertisement and should be read before completing that section of the application form. All question areas must be completed.
Reference: SWNM97182
For technical issues or queries regarding the application process, contact: vicky.macsweeney@hse.ie
Informal Enquiries
For further information about this role, contact Jennie Synnott, Area Director of Nursing — IHA Cork South and West, and Cork CAMHS.
Email: jennie.synnott@hse.ie
Tel: 087-6016820
