The person appointed to this post will work within a Consultant led Obesity Management team in Connolly Hospital.  The post-holder will join a multi-disciplinary team, including physiotherapists, dietitians, psychologists, and specialist Consultants. The team will provide an integrated and coordinated programme of care to patients with severe and complex obesity. With the MDT they will have a role in developing different obesity management pathways. Focusing on patient centred care the CNS will support patient decision making in determining the most appropriate pathway for individualised care.  The CNS will work closely with the MDT in providing support and education for obesity management including support and monitoring of patients on prescribed weight loss medication.

The post holder and service will primary be based in Connolly Hospital but future service development may see the role expand to include off site OPD clinics working alongside the integrated care services.

Background / National Context

Obesity is a complex, chronic multi-factorial disease, with over 200 possible complications affecting many organs and systems. It is estimated that 60% of adults in Ireland are living with overweight and obesity, and these figures are higher in deprived areas. In spite of a wealth of scientific evidence showing the strong biological and environmental determinants of obesity, society views obesity very negatively. Obesity stigma is based on the misconception that obesity is a choice. In the past, this has led to inadequate funding of obesity research, under-resourcing of weight management and bariatric clinical centres, a tiny pool of pharmacological treatment options, minimal training of health professionals in obesity management, and confusing and unhelpful public-health campaigns. This is finally beginning to change.

The Model of Care for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Ireland was published in 2021, and sets out how the healthcare for children, young people and adults living with overweight and obesity in Ireland should be organised and resourced now and in the future - https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/ncps/obesity/model-of-care/

In all health and social care settings, staff will be trained to deliver holistic obesity prevention and treatment interventions appropriate to that setting. Each level of service will require robust information and communications technology systems for secure data collection, information sharing and communication across settings and services. This will include national surveillance systems to monitor population prevalence of overweight, obesity and associated complications, and a national register for patients attending obesity treatment services. Services at each level will need to be developed and evaluated in parallel, to ensure the provision of integrated end-to-end care for individuals living with overweight and obesity for the first time in the history of the state.

Collaboration within the national and international obesity treatment community is a key strategy in ongoing advocacy and policy influencing work. The team will develop strong links with the following professional bodies and organisations:

• Association for the Study of Obesity in Ireland (ASOI) https://asoi.info
• European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) https://easo.org
• Obesity Canada https://obesitycanada.ca
• Irish Coalition for People Living with Obesity https://twitter.com/ICPObesity
• European Association for People Living with Obesity https://eurobesity.org
• National Clinical Programme for Obesity https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/ncps/obesity

Informal Enquiries: 

Eileen Daly- Assistant Director of nursing

Email: eileen.daly1@hse.ie

Phone: 01-6465154 or 0871180175

Candidates must at the latest date of application:

Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc

• Be a registered nurse/midwife on the active Register of Nurses and Midwives held by An Bord Altranais and Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland) or be eligible to be so registered.

And

• Be registered in the division(s) of the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) Register for which the application is being made or be entitled to be so registered.

Or

• In exceptional circumstances, which will be assessed on a case by case basis be registered in another Division of the register of Nurses and Midwives.

And

• Have a minimum of 1 years’ post registration full time experience or an aggregate of 1 years’ full time experience in the division of the register in which the application is being made (taking into account (ii) (iii) if relevant)

Or 

And

• Have a minimum of 1 years’ experience or an aggregate of 1 years’ full time experience in specialist area of chronic Disease management / Obesity Management or Diabetes

                                                                  Or

If the applicant does not possess the relevant specialist experience, they will be supported to attain one year’s clinical specialist experience 

And

•  Have successfully completed a post registration programme of study, as certified by the education provider which verifies that the applicant has achieved a Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) major academic Level 9 or higher award (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above) that is relevant to the specialist area of care and in line with the requirements for specialist practice as set out by the National Council for Nursing and Midwifery 4th ed (2008). Alternatively provide written evidence from the Higher Education Institute that they have achieved the number of ECTS credits equivalent to a Level 9 or higher standard (60 ECTS or above), relevant to the specialist area of care and in line with the requirements for specialist practice as set out by the National Council for Nursing and Midwifery 4th ed (2008). (See **Note below)

Or

• If the applicant does not possess the relevant QQI NFQ Level 9 qualification, the applicant will be supported to undertake the required postgraduate education, at QQI NFQ level 9 qualification (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above) relevant to the specialist area.

And

• Be required to demonstrate that they have continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to the specialist area or will be supported to obtain the required CPD.

And

• Have the ability to practice safely and effectively fulfilling his/her professional responsibility within his/her scope of practice

** Note:

For Nurses/Midwives who express an interest in CNS/CMS roles and who currently hold a level 8 educational qualification in the specialist area (equivalent to 60 ECTS or above), this qualification will be recognised up to September 2026. The clinical experience requirements

for this cohort of nurses/midwives remain consistent with the DoH (2019) policy, i.e. a minimum of 1 years’ experience in practice and a minimum of 1 years’ experience in the specialist area and they could be supported to progress on a candidate CNS/CMS Pathway.

• All of the above must be achieved within 2 years for this pathway

And

• Candidates must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, including a high standard of suitability and clinical, professional and administrative capacity for the proper discharge of the duties of the office.

 Annual registration

• Practitioners must maintain live annual registration on the appropriate/relevant Division of the register of Nurses and Midwives maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann) for the role.

And

• Confirm annual registration with NMBI to the HSE by way of the annual Service user Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC)

Please note that appointment to and continuation in posts that require statutory registration is dependent upon the post holder maintaining annual registration in the relevant division of the register maintained by Bord Altranais agus Cnáimhseachais na hÉireann (Nursing & Midwifery Board of Ireland) by way of the Service user Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC)

Required Information:

CHB 156.25 - CNS Obesity Job Spec