Professor Fiona Nolan

Professor Fiona Nolan has been appointed to the post of 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 supports a virtual Faculty of 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 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. 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 focussing 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."

Natalie Hammond, Director of Nursing at NEP also welcomed Professor Nolan to NEP, and said: “I am delighted that Professor Nolan will be part of our team working with us to develop our research capacity and, importantly, improve care for our patients and their families.”

Professor Nolan is expected to take up her post on 1 August 2016.