New professor of Nursing and Child Health appointed

The University of Leicester is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Joseph Manning MBE as Professor of Nursing and Child Health within the School of Healthcare. 

Dr Manning officially took up his post on Wednesday 1 November.

The role is a joint appointment with the Nottingham Children’s Hospital where he holds clinical and senior leadership roles for Paediatric Critical Care Outreach and Nursing and AHP research.

Joseph is a clinical-academic nurse with strong national and international profiles within the fields of nursing, paediatric critical care, and clinical academic capacity and capability development. 

He will be leading on building the research culture within the school, with a particular focus on supporting the current nursing team with its research inspired education and creating new research posts and opportunities as the program continues to expand.

Dr Manning said: “I am really thrilled to be joining the University of Leicester in this innovative clinical-academic professorial appointment and to be working in the ambitious and strategically aligned School of Healthcare.  Building on the schools existing research strengths, I am excited to contribute to a nurturing, diverse and inspiring research culture through leading programmes of high quality and impactful research as well as supporting the inclusive and strategic growth of research capacity and capability.”   

Joseph has worked in a range of positions in the NHS as a children’s nurse largely focusing on the critical care of infants, children, and young people. He was the first registered children’s nurse in the UK awarded an HEE NIHR ICA Clinical Lectureship and is seen as a trailblazer in his field. 

He is currently leading a methodologically diverse and clinically focused program of research with a mission to improve the experiences, outcomes and lives of children, young people and their families that access acute care; and has received more than £8 million (as Chief/Co-applicant) in competitive grant capture from national and international funders including NIHR and NIH(US). 

Joseph serves on a number of regional, national and international research funding bodies and societies. His contribution and leadership in nursing and clinical academic careers have been recognised by the Chief Nursing Officer for England [recipient of CNO Gold Lifetime Award, 2020] and by Her Majesty the Queen [recipient of a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Medal, 2021].

David Wright, Professor of Health Services Research and Head of the School of Healthcare at the University of Leicester, said: “I am absolutely delighted to announce the appointment of Professor  Manning to the School of Healthcare. He joins an already highly successful research team within the School, and will provide leadership and research support. His appointment represents a major step forward in meeting the school’s vision for excellence in both teaching and research.”

Jayne Marshall, Foundation Professor of Midwifery and Director of Education for the School of Healthcare also added her delight at Professor Manning joining the university.

She said: "His appointment will further support the School in embedding research-inspired education across all its healthcare programmes and provide inspiration to students considering a future academic career in research."

Head of Nursing Jo Wilcox said: “I speak for both my nursing academic team and student community when I say how exciting it is to welcome Joseph to the University of Leicester. 

“Our four MSci Nursing with Leadership Programmes will not only benefit from Joseph’s extensive clinical expertise but his research knowledge and leadership that will promote and develop our courses to further success.”