Nursing and Midwifery research

Surgical Site Infection (SSI) research was undertaken by the the Nursing and Midwifery Research Centre (NMRC), the centre draws together research staff from the School of Nursing and Midwifery, located in the faculty of Health and Life Sciences. 

Key research themes within the NMRC are: 

• Mental Health and Disability: Professor Raghu Raghavan (Group Lead)
• Palliative Care and Older People:  Professor Jayne Brown (Group Lead)  
• Education:  Dr Peter Norrie (Group Lead)  
• Women’s and Reproductive Health: Dr Rosie Garratt (Group Link)  

The 2008 Research Assessment Exercise rated 70% of NMRC research as having international significance and 10% being world leading. The research has contributed to policy and guidelines locally, nationally and internationally.  

Doctoral Study 

The Centre’s vibrant and supportive environment for research has seen a significant increase in the number of PhD and professional doctorate students. NMRC currently supervise over 40 UK and international doctoral students. 

Collaborative Working

The NMRC has a longstanding and fruitful relationship with NHS Trusts (University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust), East Midlands HealthCare Workforce Deanery and other health and social care organisations such as Leicester County Council, which have resulted in improvements in patient safety, women’s health and mental health provision.  

Collaboration with the Leicestershire and Rutland Hospice (LOROS) has resulted in the establishment (in 2012) of the Centre for the Promotion of Excellence in Palliative Care to support research into specialist palliative care practice. They have also established a partnership with Macmillan, jointly running a module on volunteering, the first of its kind in the UK.

Mental health and Disability researchers work with regional, national and international organisations in promoting user perspectives, access to services, ethnicity and cultural diversity. The Service User and Carer Research and Audit network (SUCRAN) continues to work with service providers in improving mental health services in Leicester.  

Researchers in reproductive health, palliative care and breast feeding have well established working relationships with the Universities of Warwick, Leicester, Northampton, Sheffield, Swansea, Edinburgh, Huddersfield, Middlesex and Birmingham City, undertaking numerous funded projects together.