Former head nurse in Portlaoise to play 'pivotal role' in big Dublin hospital

The former Director of Nursing at Portlaoise hospital is set to play a 'pivotal role' in her new position at one of Ireland's biggest and most important hospitals.

Tallaght University Hospital has confirmed the appointment of Sandra McCarthy as the Director of Nursing & Integrated Care (interim) following her move from duties leading the nursing team in Portlaoise hospital.

Ms McCarthy joins TUH from Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise where she was the Director of Nursing playing a vital role during the Covid-19 pandemic. She is originally from Nurney, in Co Kildare.

Ms Lucy Nugent, Chief Executive of TUH welcome Ms McCarthy aboard. She highlighted the important role she will play in the west Dublin hospital. 

"She joins the organisation in an important year as we mark our 25th anniversary of the Hospital opening, the introduction of the Regional Health Authorities and implementation of the Enhanced Community Care Programme all of which will bring opportunities to our colleagues to collaborate, coordinate and support integrated care delivery to the benefit of our patients and their families.

"Her role is pivotal to the organisation as we develop, not only in the diverse roles across the patient healthcare journey, but also in the ongoing development of our staff and environment,” she said.

Ms McCarthy trained in Meath Hospital in Dublin and transferred to Tallaght Hospital when it opened in 1998. She was a member of the senior nursing executive team and senior human resources management team in Tallaght hospital until her move to Portlaoise in 2018 where she stayed up near the the end of 2022.

Ms McCarthy said she was delighted to return to the TUH team at a time of so much change.

"The hospital has always valued nursing at all levels and nurtured nursing leadership from the bedside through to specialist and advanced practice and in nursing management of all grades. With such ambitious plans for both the hospital and healthcare system I am looking forward to working with my nursing colleagues and management in implementing continuous improvement and innovation at all levels, empowering the nursing team to deliver evidence based care and maximise patient outcomes,” she said.

Though she has moved on from Portlaoise, Ms McCarty will still be linked to the Laois hospital as Tallaght and Portlaoise are part of the HSE's Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. The group also includes hospitals in Offaly, Kildare and Dublin including St James's.

A Registered General Nurse & Registered Nurse Tutor, Tallaght say she has extensive clinical, educational and managerial experience.  She completed her Nurse Training in the Meath Hospital, Dublin and transferred to TUH upon its opening in 1998. During her time in TUH she was a member of the Senior Nursing Executive team and Senior Human Resources Management team as Head of Learning & Development. Her professional portfolio includes an Honours Degree in Nursing from Trinity College Dublin, an MSc in Nursing and a postgraduate qualification in Health Care Education from UCD, Diploma in Leadership from UCD Smurfit Business School and a Diploma in Quality from Royal College of Physicians.

WATCH: What the gynaecological clinic at Portlaoise hospital can do for women

TUH says Ms McCarthy is an experienced health care provider with in-depth knowledge of operations management, administrative management and financial management.  She has 28 years’ experience of effectively delivering in the health arena, including direct and indirect patient care, graduate and postgraduate education.