Chair takes position at new Professorship with focus on mental health nursing in Essex

Professor Fiona Nolan has taken up her position as Florence Nightingale Foundation Chair in Clinical Mental Health Nursing Practice Research at the University of Essex.

The new Professorship, in the School of Health and Human Sciences at Essex, is the result of a new strategic partnership between the University, the North Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (NEP), and the Florence Nightingale Foundation.

The Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) supports a virtual Faculty of 12 clinical nursing professors in the UK and the appointment at the University of Essex is the only FNF Professorship with an emphasis on mental health nursing.

Professor Nolan (pictured) has an international reputation and experience of leading multi-professional research teams focusing on mental health care. She said: “This newly created Chair is a great step forward for mental health nursing in the UK. It offers the opportunity to truly combine clinical and academic practice and to develop the potential of the mental health nursing workforce to engage with research. I am honoured to have been given this role and look forward to working with the University, Trust and Florence Nightingale Foundation to progress the mental health research agenda.”

The Executive Dean, Science and Health, Professor Graham Underwood, said: “Our nursing and health care colleagues in the School of Health and Human Sciences are delighted about Professor Nolan’s appointment, which represents an opportunity to grow research capacity and strengthen outputs that translate research directly into clinical care, support innovation and enhance the patient experience. Fiona’s appointment also complements work being done on mental health, wellbeing and social impacts across the University. The School of Health and Human Sciences is well known for its excellence in teaching and student experience, and this position shows our shared commitment to developing similar excellence in research.”

Professor Elizabeth Robb OBE, Chief Executive of the Florence Nightingale Foundation, said: “We are really delighted to extend our network of FNF chairs through the appointment of Professor Nolan and pleased she will be focusing in on the vital area of mental health nursing. Building capacity and capability in research across the UK is central to our Foundation’s aims.”