The Institute for Excellence in Healthcare (IEH) is based on a strong partnership between University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) and University of Leicester (UoL) – to deliver world-class research opportunities for healthcare colleagues in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Both institutions offer an outstanding track record of research and innovation based on a multi-institutional approach.
The IEH is based on a strong partnership between University Hospital's of Leicester and University of Leicester. Both institutions can offer an outstanding track record of research and innovation which is based on a multi-institutional approach. It is a priority for the IEH to ensure that research is highly relevant to the needs of our population.
Institute for Excellence in Healthcare Research Forums - 22 January 2025
Research Forums are open to all clinicians and researchers. It is a safe space to informally discuss your ideas with established clinical and academic researchers based at University Hospital's of Leicester and University of Leicester. We are offering an opportunity to share experiences and work as a group on topics ranging from securing funding, how to write an application, expanding networks, finding collaborators, gaining support. Register your space by completing this form.
The IEH will collaborate with established research infrastructure, including:
The IEH will support the research community through:
- Sharing and building research expertise and capacity
- Jointly developing clinical and academic staff
- Providing opportunities for the workforce to take part in research activities
- Increasing research income within both institutions
- Supporting clinical academic posts with responsibility for leading on the research agenda
- Evaluating future opportunities to broaden the scope of IEH, encompassing other partner universities and trusts
Evidence shows there is a need to invest in a skilled delivery workforce as well as attracting, training, and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex healthcare challenges.
The main aim of the IEH is to bring together research infrastructure across institutions which enhances patient care, increases external visibility, and creates a vibrant working environment for staff.
Governance structure
The IEH committee includes members of the senior leadership and management teams across UHL and UoL.
The role of the IEH committee is as follows:
- Set the strategy and vision for the IEH
- Ensure the IEH strategy is aligned with multi-organisational strategies
- Ensure the IEH makes good use of the allocated budget and seek additional sources of income
- Assist with identifying and resolving risks
- Provide advice and guidance on issues facing the delivery of the IEH
- Use influence and authority to assist the IEH in achieving its outcomes
- Review and approve final IEH deliverables
- Ensure engagement of stakeholders and partners
- Create a culture where the IEH can flourish
Committee members:
Julie Hogg, Julie Hogg, Group Chief Nurse of University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, Honorary Professor, University of Leicester
Julie Hogg is Chief Nurse at UHL and Interim Group Chief Nurse at University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) NHS Group. She is a registered nurse and midwife and has 20 years’ experience in the acute sector. Julie has completed her Nye Bevan NHS leadership academy award in executive leadership and was awarded a Daisy leadership award in 2022. In March 2024, Julie was appointed as an Honorary Professor with the School of Healthcare at the University of Leicester.
Antonella Ghezzi, Assistant Chief Nurse Research and Innovation UHL
Antonella Ghezzi is Assistant Chief Nurse for Research and Innovation at UHL. With over 23 years of experience in the NHS, she is a point of reference for health and care professionals with an interest in clinical and academic research. She holds a Master’s in Research Methods and Methodologies and a Post Graduate Diploma in Health and Social Care. Her main interests are in workforce development and wellbeing, improving patient care through digital transformation, and hepatology research.
Nigel Brunskill, Director of Research and Innovation UHL
Professor Nigel Brunskill is Professor of Renal Medicine at UoL and an honorary consultant nephrologist at UHL, where he remains clinically active and jointly leads the Renal Obstetrics service. Nigel has been active in clinical research for over 30 years. He is Director of the NIHR Leicester Clinical Research Facility, Director of Research and Innovation for UHL, Director of Clinical Research for UoL College of Life Sciences, and Director of the Leicestershire Academic Health Partners group.
Debi Bhattacharya, Professor of Behavioural Medicine UoL
Professor Debi Bhattacharya is a Professor of Behavioural Medicine at UoL and a primary care pharmacist. She leads a portfolio of research that applies behavioural science to medicine-related challenges. Her work focuses on deprescribing and medication adherence. She is currently leading two research programmes: CHARMER, a £2.4M NIHR funded research programme to design and test a deprescribing intervention, and IMAB-Qi, a £2.7M NIHR funded research programme to design and test a medication adherence intervention.
David Wright, Head of School of Healthcare UoL
Professor David Wright is Head of the School of Healthcare at UoL with research expertise in the development and evaluation of complex interventions, feasibility studies and delivery of definitive trials. He has secured over £8M in research funding as principal investigator, operating as a lead or co-applicant on 12 NIHR grants, 2 MRC grants and 1 EPSRC grant. He had secured 2 NIHR DCAF and PCAF studentships and published over 100 peer-reviewed papers
Danielle Burnett, Director of Midwifery UHL
Danielle is a registered midwife and has 20 years’ experience in the NHS. Danni has held operational and leadership roles across the acute, community, ambulance, and commissioning sector. Danni has also worked for NHS England in a variety of regional posts. Danni has completed her MSc in Health and Social Care alongside several leadership programmes such as Getting to Equity and the NHS Director of Nursing Talent Pipeline. Danni joined UHL in January 2023 as Director of Midwifery and Deputy Chief Nurse with a portfolio spanning Women's & Children's service plus Genomics and more recently supporting Nursing & Midwifery Recruitment, Retention, and Pastoral support. Danni is also one of 3 Patient Safety Specialists for the Trust.
Clare Pheasant, Chief Allied Health Professional UHL
I am a registered physiotherapist with more than 25 years of experience of working within the NHS. My clinical field is MSK and orthopedics working across acute, community and primary care services as a clinician. Throughout my career I have supported research activity and advocated for those I lead to develop skills and knowledge to deliver research activity in their areas of expertise. Completing my MSc in healthcare Leadership I moved into operational management, overseeing a wide range of services before moving to a strategic AHP leadership position in an acute teaching hospital and then an integrated care system before moving into the Chief AHP role at UHL in March 2023.
Hayley Grafton, Chief Nursing Information Officer UHL
Hayley Grafton is the Chief Nursing Information Officer for UHL, a registered Nurse for over 20 years, Hayley has a clinical background in Intensive Care Nursing and Practice Education. As CNIO Hayley is leading the digital agenda for NMAHP, striving to improve healthcare and research capabilities with technology. Hayley has a Master's Degree in Digital Health Leadership, with Imperial College London. Hayley has a keen interest in research and evidence-based practice and has contributed to this field as the editor of the latest Royal Marsden Manual for Clinical Nursing Procedures.
Professor Joseph Manning MBE, Professor of Nursing and Child Health, University of Leicester
Joseph is a leading clinical-academic in nursing and child health, holding joint appointments at the University of Leicester and Nottingham Children’s Hospital. He is known for his strategic leadership and dedication to improving outcomes for children and families through multidisciplinary research and education.
Joseph’s research focuses on harm-free care, healthcare transitions, and optimising health outcomes, attracting over £8 million in grants. He has received numerous accolades, including the Chief Nursing Officer for England Gold Lifetime Award and an MBE in the Queen's 2021 Birthday Honours.
Duncan MacDonald, Associate Chief Pharmacist UHL
Duncan Macdonald is Associate Chief Pharmacist at UHL. He has worked within pharmacy services in acute Trusts for 18 years, including roles in cancer, clinical trials, professional development, clinical assurance, and medicines optimisation. Duncan has Masters degrees in both Oncology and Healthcare Leadership. He has an interest in promoting and supporting Consultant and Advanced level pharmacy practice.
Mohamed Rahman, Chief Pharmacist UHL
Mohamed Rahman is currently the Chief Pharmacist and Controlled Drugs Accountable Officer at University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust. Mohamed is a registered pharmacist with over 25 years experience in the acute sector. He has worked in and held senior leadership or Chief Pharmacist roles at several large acute NHS hospital Trusts in England including the Royal Liverpool University Hospitals, Nottingham University Hospitals, United Lincolnshire Hospitals, Sherwood Forest Hospitals and currently at UHL. Mohamed was a member of the UK Commission on Pharmacy Professional Leadership (report published in 2023). He holds a prominent role nationally including being the Chair of the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association (UKCPA) and is a member of the UK Pharmacy Professional Leadership Advisory Board.
Seth O’Neill, Director of Research School of Health UoL
Dr Seth O’Neill is the research director for the School of Healthcare, and an Associate Professor of Physiotherapy, at UoL. He has a PhD in tendinopathy and a strong interest in lower limb musculoskeletal injuries in athletic and non-athletic individuals, crossing from sporting cohorts to NHS patient populations. His current work examines epidemiology, risk factors and rehabilitation in Achilles tendon ruptures, tendinopathy and calf injuries, alongside wider researchh into rugby, football and lacrosse injuries and injury risk.
Sally Singh, Director of Training for the Leicester Biomedical Research Centre / Head of Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation UHL/UoL
Professor Sally Singh is Professor of Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation at UoL, Head of Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation at UHL and Director of the Centre for Exercise and Rehabilitation Science. She is an NIHR Senior Investigator and director of training for the Leicester NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, as well as PI for an NIHR Global Research Group exploring culturally appropriate rehabilitation in low- and middle-income countries, and an NIHR Programme grant exploring rehabilitation in the multimorbid population. She is also the director of a Wellcome Trust funded Doctoral Training Programme.
Linzy Houchen-Wolloff, Physiotherapy Research Lead
Linzy has worked in the field of rehabilitation for over 18 years and is a Senior Research Physiotherapist within the Centre for Exercise and Rehabilitation Science (CERS) at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester and Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester. Linzy has experience of supporting clinical academic careers for Physiotherapists and Occupational therapists in her role as Research Lead for therapies at UHL since 2017. This has included creating and implementing the trust's Therapy Research Strategy. She has mentored several therapists with NIHR academy awards (e.g. PCAF). Linzy is also the Leicester Clinical Academic Practitioner Network (LCAPN) co-chair and regionally is the secretary for the Council for Allied Health Professionals in Research (East Midlands CAHPR). Linzy has successfully implemented clinical academic placements for undergraduate Physiotherapy students at UHL, which have been showcased by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in their Placement Profiles.
Resources for development
NIHR funding streams
INSPIRE journal newsletters
Find the latest Inspire journal newsletters - 'bringing your research to life':
UHL Research Experience Programme (REP)
The UHL Research and Innovation (R&I) team are launching a Research Experience Programme (REP) for nurses, midwives and other allied health professionals including clinical scientists, (NMAHPs) at UHL.
REP Info and Application Form Final Sept 2024.pdf
