PRESS RELEASE
Leading academic appointed as North West’s first Florence
Nightingale Foundation Chair in Clinical Nursing Practice
Research
Patients in Manchester are to benefit from a new Florence Nightingale Foundation
Chair in Clinical Nursing Practice Research to follow the celebrated social reformer’s
role reviewing and developing evidence to deliver the highest quality care to patients.
The appointment made by the Florence Nightingale Foundation in partnership with
The University of Manchester and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS
Foundation Trust will see Professor Angela Tod become the first Florence
Nightingale Foundation Chair in Clinical Nursing Practice Research in the North
West.
The chair is one of several prestigious appointments across the UK and follows
appointments in Cardiff, Cambridge and London.
Professor Tod, currently Professor in Health Services
Research at Sheffield Hallam University, has many years
experience of clinical nursing practice and practice
development. She has specialised in research to capture
patient experience and evaluate the accessibility and
effectiveness of health services in clinical areas including
cardiology and obesity. Her research has looked at how
people experience diagnosis, treatment and recovery
from conditions such as a heart attack and lung cancer,
including health inequalities and developing and
evaluating health care services.
Other recent research topics include health inequalities, fuel poverty and how cold
weather and cold homes impact on health. Additional evaluations are of a smoke free
homes initiative, nutrition for oncology patients and the nurse's role and experience
of breaking bad news.
Professor Karen Luker, Head of the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at
The University of Manchester, said: “The Florence Nightingale Chair appointment
recognises the important role nurses continue to play in developing new evidencebased techniques through research to improve the care of patients. We are
delighted to have Professor Tod on board and her wealth of experience will be a
huge benefit helping to translate new treatment approaches directly into hospitals.
The role will help to support innovation and improve patient care through excellent
academic leadership.”
Gill Heaton, Director of Patient Services/Chief Nurse at Central Manchester
University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted to have jointly
appointed a Chair in Clinical Nursing Practice Research in partnership with The
University of Manchester School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work. Supported
by the Florence Nightingale Foundation, the Chair will work closely with our nursing
teams at Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to further
enhance the quality of nursing care delivered to our patients through the application
and advancement of nursing research.”
Professor Elizabeth Robb, Chief Executive of the Florence Nightingale Foundation,
said: “Professor Tod’s appointment reflects our aim to support the creation of chairs
in clinical nursing practice research and to work closely with academic bodies and
healthcare organisations to develop evidence based practice. This appointment
adds to our network of Chairs around the country ensuring that the standards and
values laid down by Florence Nightingale continue to resonate in nursing today.”
Professor Tod was principal investigator for a National Institute for Health Research
(NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit project to explore factors influencing Keeping
Warm in Later Life and is currently developing research on other aspects of fuel
poverty, cold weather and health, including households with children with asthma.
She is part of a large five year NIHR Programme study on the Design, Development,
Commissioning and Evaluation of Patient Focused Vascular Services which she will
continue to work on in Manchester.
A widely published author and speaker at national and international forums,
Professor Tod is also chair of the National Lung Cancer Forum for Nurses Research
Interest Group.
Professor Tod said she was both excited and honoured to take on the role.
Professor Tod said: “It is a huge honour to be appointed to the Florence Nightingale
Chair in Clinical Nursing Practice Research. I am tremendously excited to be working
in this innovative post supported by three outstanding organisations, the University of
Manchester School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, the Florence Nightingale
Foundation and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Throughout my career I have been committed to conducting research of applied use
to patient care, nursing and health care organisations. This post offers a unique
opportunity to expand on this research programme in a way that reflects the nursing
priorities of patients in Manchester and the North West.”
Ends
For further information, please contact: Alison Barbuti | Media Relations Officer
Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences | The University of Manchester
Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC)
Tel: +44(0)161 275 8383 | Email: alison.barbuti@manchester.ac.uk
The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester, a member of the Russell Group, is one of the largest
and most popular universities in the UK. It has 20 academic schools and hundreds of
specialist research groups undertaking pioneering multi-disciplinary teaching and
research of worldwide significance. According to the results of the 2008 Research
Assessment Exercise, The University of Manchester is one of the country’s major
research institutions, rated third in the UK in terms of ‘research power’. The
University has an annual income of £807 million and is ranked 40th in the world and
fifth in the UK for the quality of its teaching and impact of its research.
Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a leading
provider of specialist healthcare services in Manchester, treating more than a million
patients every year. Its eight specialist hospitals (Manchester Royal Infirmary, Saint
Mary’s Hospital, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester Royal Eye
Hospital, University Dental Hospital of Manchester and Trafford Hospitals) are home
to hundreds of world class clinicians and academic staff committed to finding patients
the best care and treatments. (www.cmft.nhs.uk)
The Florence Nightingale Foundation exists to support nurses and midwives with
scholarships, mentoring and to give them the recognition they so richly deserve. The
Foundation raises vital funds to support this key group of clinical professionals by
enabling study, promoting innovation in practice, at home and abroad, and extending
knowledge and skills to enable nurses and midwives to meet changing needs and
improve patient care. At the heart of our Foundation is the continuation of the work
of Florence Nightingale who began equipping senior nurses and midwives with the
confidence to represent their profession at the very top levels of our health system.
Further information: http://www.florence-nightingale-foundation.org.uk