Application Form: IT Technical Support, Grade VI, Healthcare

This document is a comprehensive application form for an IT Technical Support position, specifically Grade VI within the Healthcare Pricing Office/Activity-Based Funding. The application meticulously details the candidate's personal information, including contact details, and addresses eligibility criteria by providing extensive experience in IT software development, web-based database applications using ASP.NET and SQL server, and software development using JavaScript, AJAX, CSS, and HTML. The candidate also showcases experience in stakeholder management for defining software requirements. The application form includes detailed career history, supplementary questions addressing planning and resource management, problem-solving and decision-making, and team working skills. The applicant also acknowledges and agrees to the general declaration regarding obligations in the recruitment process. This application is a strong example of how to present relevant qualifications and experience in response to a specific job posting.

Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
All sections to be completed in full
APPLICATION FORM
Grade VI IT Technical Support
Healthcare Pricing Office/Activity-Based Funding
NRS04510
Please carefully note the following instructions:
 Please ensure you fully read and understand the ‘Additional Campaign Information for Candidates –
Grade VI - IT Technical Support, Healthcare Pricing Office/Activity-Based Funding ’ document specific
to this campaign that is available on http://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs/job_search/.
 Please ensure you read in full, the instructions for the completion of this application form and complete
all areas, including the supplementary questions section, in full. Failure to complete all areas of the
application form may result in you not being brought forward to the interview stage of the selection
process.
 Candidates should note that there can be a time delay in receiving email applications. We recommend
that applicants wishing to return an application by email should allow a minimum of 1 hour for their
application to reach [e-mail], by the closing time of 12.00 noon on Thursday 26th
January 2017. Applications will not be accepted after this date and time, no exceptions will be made.
 It is preferable that Application Forms are typed.
 Applications must be submitted as a Microsoft Word or PDF document format only. Applications stored
on personal online storage sites, e.g. Onedrive, Cloud, Dropbox, Google Drive etc will not be accepted,
applications submitted in other file formats e.g. Google Docs will not be accepted. Please pay particular
attention to ensure that your application is attached as an attachment (not a link to an on line storage
site e.g. Google Drive) when emailing your application.
 In relation to details of employment, if the space provided is insufficient, please attach additional pages
ensuring to use the same format.
 Please read the Job Specification which provides useful information about the requirements of this post.
 Should you be invited for interview, you may take a 'hard' copy (or 'paper' copy) of your application form
with you. Mobile devices are not permitted for use during your interview.
 The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of Practice prepared
by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The Codes of Practice are available on
the CPSA website www.cpsa.ie. Further information is also available in the Additional Campaign
Information document available on http://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs/job_search/.
 The Health Service Executive is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
 The Health Service Executive recognises its responsibilities under the Data Protection Acts 2003 &
1988 and the Freedom of Information Act 2014.
Please return completed application form to:
E-mail: [e-mail]
Post: Grainne Colreavy, HBS National Recruitment Service, HSE, Aras Slainte Chluainin,
Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim,
Closing date for applications: Thursday 26th January 2017 at 12 noon
It is anticipated that interviews will be held: February 2017
NRS04510 Grade VI – IT Technical Support, Healthcare Pricing Office/Activity-Based Funding
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
Applicant Details:
Position Applied for: IT Technical Support – Grade VI
Healthcare Pricing Office/Activity-Based Funding
Grade Code 0574
Position Reference No.: NRS04510
Candidate Reference No (office use only) NRS04510 -
Personal Details:
First Name :
Last Name:
Postal address for correspondence:
MOBILE TELEPHONE (mandatory):
Contact Tel No. 2:
E-mail Address (mandatory):
(You may provide more than one)
PPS Number (mandatory)
Drivers Licence (please state type & category):
European Economic Area
Are you an EEA (European Economic Area) National? Yes / No
Please see Appendix 2 of Additional Campaign Information document for definition of an EEA National.
NB If you are a non EEA citizen you must provide the requested documentation to support your
application. For further information you must read “Appendix 2” in the “Additional Campaign Information”
document.
Where did you see this position advertised?
To help us gauge the efficiency of our advertising strategy for this campaign, the HSE would appreciate it if
you indicated in the table below where you saw this campaign advertised.
HSE website – www.hse.ie
Word of mouth - my manager / colleague
Notification from HSE Talent Pool
Other, please say which
++ More than one indication is allowed.
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1. Superannuation Schemes
Are you currently in receipt of a Voluntary Early Retirement or Ill Health Early Retirement Pension from any
of the Public Health Superannuation Schemes listed at 1-5 below, or any other Public Sector Pension
Scheme?
Are you currently in receipt of a pension from any of the following superannuation schemes? (This
means have you retired?)
YES NO
1. Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS)
2. Health Service Executive Employee Superannuation Scheme
3. Voluntary Hospital’s Superannuation Scheme (VHSS)
4. Nominated Health Agencies Superannuation Scheme (NHASS)
5. Other Public Service Superannuation Scheme
If you have answered ‘yes’ in relation to being in receipt of a pension from any of the above Superannuation
Schemes you are not eligible to apply for this recruitment campaign. Please read Appendix 4 in ‘Additional
Campaign Information’ for further details.
2. Current Contractual Status
 I am currently a HSE employee* Yes No
 I am currently a Tusla employee* Yes No
Please tick the HSE/Tusla Area in which you work
Dublin Mid Leinster South
Dublin North East West
If you answered yes to the above question, please choose the option below which best matches your current
contractual status:
 I have a permanent contract
or
 I have a temporary contract
*HSE / Tusla Employee = you are a direct employee of the HSE or Tusla and not in a post funded or partially funded by
the HSE or Tusla
3. Proficiency in Irish
Candidates will be afforded the added opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform the duties of the
office through Irish. This assessment will be on a pass/fail basis and will not disturb the marks awarded in
the selection process. Where vacancies arise for which proficiency in Irish is a management requirement,
the HSE will offer such posts in order of merit to candidates who have successfully passed the Irish
assessment. Please indicate if you wish to undertake an Irish assessment exam Yes / No
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Please include second level and any (additional) third level educational achievements:
Dates
From / To
Educational
Institution
Conferring
Body
Course of Study Qualification
Achieved
Grades
Achieved
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
CAREER OVERVIEW
IMPORTANT: Please ensure all career history is clearly outlined below (e.g. if you took a career
break, spent time out of work, please include this information so there are no gaps in your career
history from when you left full-time education to present date).
From To Title Employer
DETAILED CAREER HISTORY – listing the most recent first:
Job Title:
Grade/ Management Level (if applicable):
Employer(s) & Department Name:
From (00/00): To(00/00/) :
Main Roles & Responsibilities:
Job Title:
Grade/ Level (if applicable):
Employer(s) & Department Name:
From (00/00): To(00/00/) :
Main Roles & Responsibilities:
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
Job Title:
Grade/ Level (if applicable):
Employer(s) & Department Name:
From (00/00): To(00/00/) :
Main Roles & Responsibilities:
Job Title:
Grade/ Level (if applicable):
Employer(s) & Department Name:
From (00/00): To(00/00/) :
Main Roles & Responsibilities:
Job Title:
Grade/ Level (if applicable):
Employer(s) & Department Name:
From (00/00): To(00/00/) :
Main Roles & Responsibilities:
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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
Please indicate below how your professional experience meets the eligibility criteria for the post of
Grade VI – IT Technical Support, Healthcare Pricing Office/Activity-Based Funding.
This section will be assessed by a board of Senior Managers to consider your experience as it is
relevant to the eligibility criteria.
 Please note that if you omit information in this section pertinent to the eligibility criteria you may
be deemed ineligible and subsequently not called forward to interview.
 Short listing may occur based on the information provided here and in the other areas of this
application form.
 Please complete each section below. As you complete each section we recognise there will be
overlap in the employer and date periods.
1. Please demonstrate significant experience in an IT software development environment which has
included experience developing Web based database applications using ASP NET and SQL server, as
relevant to the role.
Date(s) from – Date(s) to Employer(s) & Department Name
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
2. Please demonstrate your significant experience of developing software using Javascript, AJAX, CSS
and HTML, as relevant to the role.
Date(s) from – Date(s) to Employer(s) & Department Name
3. Please demonstrate your experience of working with stakeholders in defining software requirement for
the business needs, as relevant to the role.
Date(s) from – Date(s) to Employer(s) & Department Name
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
Supplementary Questions 1 - 3
A guide to completing supplementary questions is available in Appendix 1 of this application form. It is strongly
recommended that you read the guide before completing this section of your application form.
In the spaces below, briefly describe what you consider to be a good example of demonstrating your ability in
each of the skill areas 1-3. A summary definition of each of skill areas is provided for your information. This is a
summary of what we mean by each skill heading. Please provide the information in the format requested at (a),
(b), and (c) on the “Information on completing the Supplementary Questions” Section. Remember anything you
say may be used as part of a shortlisting/ranking exercise and may be discussed in more depth at interview,
should you be called to one.
1. Planning & Managing Resources including Commitment to a Quality Service.
 An effective Grade VI IT Technical Support demonstrates strong planning and organising skills including, structuring
and organising own work load and that of others effectively. S/he demonstrates the ability to use computer
technology effectively for the management and delivery of results. S/he demonstrates the ability to take
responsibility and be accountable for the delivery of agreed objectives. S/he demonstrates a logical and pragmatic
approach to workload, delivering the best possible results with the resources available. S/he demonstrates evidence
of incorporating the needs of the service user into service delivery along with evidence of proactively identifying
areas for improvement and the development of practical solutions for their implementation. S/he demonstrates
evidence of practicing and promoting a strong focus on delivering high quality customer service for internal and
external customers. S/he demonstrates commitment to developing own knowledge and expertise.
In the space below, please give an example of a situation where you best demonstrated your ability in this area.
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
2. Evaluating Information, Problem Solving & Decision Making
An effective Grade VI IT Technical Support demonstrates the ability to gather and analyse information from relevant
sources, weighing up a range of critical factors to develop solutions and make decisions as appropriate. S/he
demonstrates ability to make sound decisions with a well-reasoned rationale and to stand by these, along with initiative in
the resolution of complex issues. S/he demonstrates a capacity to develop new proposals and put forward solutions to
address problems.
In the space below, please give an example of a situation where you best demonstrated your ability in this area
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
3. Team Working
An effective Grade VI IT Technical Support demonstrates the ability to lead the team by example, coaching and supporting
individuals as required. S/he demonstrates the ability to work with the team to facilitate high performance, developing
clear and realistic objectives. S/he demonstrates the ability to address performance issues as they arise. S/he
demonstrates flexibility and willingness to adapt , positively contributing to the implementation of change.
In the space below, please give an example of a situation where you demonstrated your ability in this area.
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
General Declaration
It is important that you read this Declaration carefully and then sign it in the space below.
Part 1: Obligations Placed on Candidates who participate in The Recruitment Process.
The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 makes very specific provisions in
relation to the responsibilities placed on candidates who participate in recruitment campaigns and these are
detailed in Section 4 of the Code of Practice issued under the Act.
These obligations are as follows:
Any canvassing by or on behalf of candidates shall result in disqualification and exclusion from the
recruitment process. Candidates shall not:
 knowingly or recklessly make a false or a misleading application
 knowingly or recklessly provide false information or documentation
 canvass any person with or without inducements
 impersonate a candidate at any stage of the process
 knowingly or maliciously obstruct or interfere with the recruitment process
 knowingly and without lawful authority take any action that could result in the compromising of any test
material or of any evaluation of it
 interfere with or compromise the process in any way
Any person who contravenes the above provisions, or who assists another person in contravening the above
provisions, shall be guilty of an offence.
It is the policy of the HSE to report any such above contraventions to An Garda Siochana.
In addition, where a person found guilty of an offence was or is a candidate at a recruitment / selection
process, then, in accordance with the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act
2004.
 where he / she has not been appointed to a post, he / shall be disqualified as a candidate; and
 where he / she has been appointed as a result of that process, he / she shall forfeit that appointment
Part 2
Declaration: “I declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief there is nothing in relation to my conduct,
character or personal background of any nature that would adversely affect the position of trust in which I
would be placed by virtue of my appointment to this position. I hereby confirm my irrevocable consent to the
Health Service Executive to the making of such enquiries, as the Health Service Executive deems necessary
in respect of my suitability for the post in respect of which this application is made.
I hereby accept and confirm the entitlement of the Health Service Executive to reject my application or
terminate my employment (in the event of a contract of employment having been entered into) if I have
omitted to furnish the Health Service Executive with any information relevant to my application or to my
continued employment with the Health Service Executive or where I have made any false statement or
misrepresentation relevant to this application or my continuing employment with the Health Service
Executive.
Furthermore, I hereby declare that all the particulars furnished in connection with this application are true,
and that I am aware of the qualifications and particulars for this position. I understand that I may be required
to submit documentary evidence in support of any particulars given by me on my Application Form. I
understand that any false or misleading information submitted by me will render me liable to automatic
disqualification or render me liable to dismissal, if employed.”
Failure to sign application will render it invalid1.
Signed: __________________________(Name of Applicant) Date: _____________________
1 If you are submitting your application form via email we will accept the application form unsigned but you will be
required to sign the Declaration at interview should you be invited to one.
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References:
Please give three referees (including your current employer). Please ensure that the referees you provide
are from a professional perspective. We retain the right to contact all previous employers. Do you wish us to
contact you prior to contacting your referees?
Yes: No:
____________________________________________________________________________________
1. Name and Job Title of Referee:
Professional Relationship to candidate:
Postal Address:
Telephone Contact Details: Mobile: Landline:
Email Address:
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Name and Job Title of Referee:
Professional Relationship to candidate:
Postal Address:
Telephone Contact Details: Mobile: Landline:
Email Address:
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Name and Job Title of Referee:
Professional Relationship to candidate:
Postal Address:
Telephone Contact Details: Mobile: Landline:
Email Address:
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Candidate ID Number NRS04510–
Equality Monitoring Form
Candidates please note this data is for administrative records only, and does not form part of the information
submitted to the interview board, or any portion of the appointments process.
Candidate Name Date of Birth
Nationality
Gender Male Female
Applicant Checklist - Important
We recommend that you check your application form carefully to ensure that you have included / clearly
illustrated / answered:
1
Mobile Telephone Number
Email Address
Postal Address
PPS Number
Mandatory
3
That the information you have provided with regard to eligibility to
apply on page 7 shows clear dates e.g. DD/MM/YY, education
courses, job titles, college names, qualification titles
4
Supplementary Questions 1 – 3
(Each question must be fully completed to ensure eligibility to
progress in this campaign –
5
Work Permit Documentation (if relevant to non EU applicants)
(Please refer to Appendix 2 of the Additional Campaign information
document for details of documentation required)
6 That your application is submitted by the closing date and time of
Thursday 26th January 2017 at 12 noon
7 That you have downloaded the job specification and Additional Campaign Information for future
reference.
If all required details / documentation (as above) are not submitted with your application we will be
unable to process your application to the next stage of the process i.e. short listing / interview
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 Appendix 1

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTIONS GUIDE
Information on completing the Supplementary Questions:
In the supplementary questions section, you are required to describe some of your personal achievements to
date that demonstrate certain necessary skills and qualities required for the position of Grade VI IT Technical
Support. The skills and qualities are outlined in the Questions Areas 1 – 3.
All question areas must be completed and remember that you will be questioned on all areas at interview.
The instructions below will help you to complete your answers, but you should also consider these
instructions when you are preparing for interview.
For each Question Area 1-3, you are given a description of a skill or quality. You are then asked to describe
a situation, from your own experience, which you think is the best example of what YOU have done which
demonstrates this skill or quality. It is essential that you describe how you demonstrated the skill or quality
in question.
The information you present here may form part of a ranking exercise process, and may also be used to help
structure your interview, if you are invited to one. A ranking exercise may apply based on the information
you provide in your application form. This means that a ranking board will “rank” applicants based on
information put forward in the supplementary questions section of your application form. Interviews may be
held on a phased basis, inviting applicants to interview based on the position held in the ranking exercise. A
primary panel will be formed of candidates successful in the first phase of interviews. If subsequent
interviews are held candidates successful at these interviews will be added to the end of the primary panel
and will be listed with a lower order of merit.
Therefore, compose your replies carefully in this section and try to structure what you write so that you give
specific information about what you have done - for example, do not simply say that “X was successful”,
describe exactly what you did and how you demonstrated the skill or quality in question.
Do not exceed the space allowed in the boxes. One of the key skills required of the Grade VI IT
Technical Support is the ability to write clearly and concisely and your written communication skills will
be assessed against what you write on your application form.
For each example please include the following:
(a) the nature of the task, problem or objective;
(b) what you actually did and how you demonstrated the skill or quality (and, where appropriate,
the date you demonstrated it);
(c) the outcome or result of the situation and your estimate of the proportion of credit you can
claim for the outcome.
Please do not use the same example to illustrate your answer to more than two skill areas.
Please note that, should you be called to interview, the board may look for additional examples of where
you demonstrated the skills required for this post so you should think of a number of examples of where you
demonstrated each of the skills.
Notes:
 You may use a word processor to reproduce these pages and type your replies
 It is recommended that you keep a copy of this section of the application form
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Guidelines for Completing the Supplementary Questions
Supplementary Questions are designed to help you to present relevant evidence in order that decision
makers can evaluate how well you ‘fit’ the requirements of a particular role. Relevant evidence is usually
drawn from your work experience and the way in which you have accomplished a range of activities. Those
involved in screening the applications will be evaluating the information you give against specific skills
required for effective performance in the role. To do this they need you to give enough detail so that they
can tell what you actually did and how you did it.
The people doing the screening will not assume that you demonstrate a skill at the right level just because
of your current role, length of experience or educational qualifications. These do not give enough evidence
about how you accomplished relevant tasks.
So, if a question is about your approach to decision making, you need to do more than describe your current
role and list important decisions you have made. You will need to describe how you reached relevant
decisions.
Some guidelines for presenting yourself well are given below:-
 Give specific examples – most questions will ask you to describe an example of when you have
demonstrated a skill: try to do this concisely but with enough detail so that the reader will be clear about
what you actually did. This detail might include information about timescales, the number of people
involved, budgets etc. It can help to use bullet points to that the sequence of events is clear to the
reader.
 Give a range of examples – if possible, base your answers on different situations or challenges you
faced rather than rely on just one experience. This helps the reader to evaluate how you tackle different
challenges and not just your behaviour in a ‘one off’ situation. Be concrete rather than theoretical – a clear description of how you actually behaved in a particular
situation (and why) is of much more use to the reader than a vague or general description of what you
consider to be desirable attributes.
 Examples on how to complete this section of the application form
Skill Area: Communication Skills: able to adapt your communication style to particular situations and
audiences….. able to produce clear and concise written information….
Example 1: I was responsible for producing important management reports and supporting presentations for a range of
important and high profile clients. Through my understanding of the clients’ needs and my effective communication
skills, I have ensured that the reports that go to the clients are relevant and focused, and are continually improved. The
reports I have produced and the presentations I have made were well received by all my clients. As a result of the
combination of my analytical thinking and interpersonal and communication skills, my brief has been extended to lead
the development of the strategic plan for the organisation.
Example 2: (a) The unit I was attached to was responsible for producing a management report and supporting oral
presentation for several large clients, some with significant problems and issues to report. In some cases the
management report was publicly available and was subject to a great deal of scrutiny. A new style/format of
management letter needed to be developed for my clients, as many of the clients were complaining that the letters were
too large/long and difficult to read.
(b) I was tasked with developing a new style of management letter for the clients. I had to meet stringent quality
requirements/criteria whilst addressing the need to reduce its size. Following consultation, mainly over the phone and
face-to-face, with the majority of our clients, I realised that a summarised report format with a better visual and more
interactive presentation was the answer. I developed a format for a summarised report, reducing the average length
from 40 pages to just 10. I achieved this through careful editing of information and increased use of graphs etc. I then
developed a more focused presentation to clients and included more graphical displays and incorporated short
presentations by colleagues directly involved in producing the work. During the presentations I encouraged clients to ask
questions and develop their understanding of the issues at hand.
(c )The summarised management report and improved presentations were seen as a success by the clients, who with
exception, in responding to an evaluation survey, found the new format/style better than the previous, and all requested
that the revised system should be continued. 80% credit
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Example 1 (above):
This is not a good example because it:
- does not give sufficient details of exactly what the person did or how they actually demonstrated their
“ effective communications skills”
- also, it is not clear where the information requested at (a), (b) and (c) (supplementary section) is
presented.
EXAMPLE 2 (ABOVE):
This is a better example because it:
- describes exactly what the person did and how they communicated, for example
“…..consultation, mainly over the phone and face-to face” & “developed a format for a
summarised report, reducing the average length from 40 pages to just 10” “achieved this through
careful editing of the information and increased use of graphs”. “encouraged clients to ask
questions”
- also, it is clearer where the information requested at (a), (b) and (c) of the supplementary question
section is presented.
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