Meet Professor Phil Keeley
Mon, 20 Jul 2015 02:20:00 BST
Professor of Nursing and Head of Health Sciences in the School of Human and Health Sciences, Professor Phil Keeley joined the University in June of this year.
Phil joined the University of Huddersfield following a long career at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at the University of Manchester. With more than 27 years of experience in professional education his areas of teaching expertise include nursing in general, mental health nursing in particular and professional and ethical practice. His teaching has been informed by his clinical experiences as an adult and mental health nurse working in hospital and community settings.
National Teaching Fellow
With a breadth of experience in clinical, community and academic institutions, Phil’s sustained excellence in teaching and learning was recognised with a National Teaching Fellowship in 2013.
Since starting at the University of Huddersfield Phil has been impressed with initiatives such as the Vice-Chancellor’s fee-waiver scheme; as he is keen to encourage widening participation in education. He also wants to get more involved with Athena SWAN here at the University and continue mentoring colleagues, a role he has been committed to over the years.
“I appreciate the juggling act of part-time study…”
Married with three children in their 20s Phil can relate to the value of support from family and friends as he recalls the balancing act of studying part-time: “Having studied part-time for all my academic qualifications, whilst working and balancing my family life, I appreciate the juggling act of part-time study. It is recognised nationally that our health service needs a new generation of health professionals and educators and my priority is making the student journey easier and more accessible”.
Student Voice
“I’m passionate about enhancing teaching and learning and improving the student experience. I’m very keen to hear the student voice and listen to what they have to say. I want to support students from starting their studies right through to doctoral level. If you put students at the core of everything they become our partners in providing education.
“Having come from a clinical practice background with years of part-time study, I believe that investing in the next generation will help them to take a more direct route to where they want to be.
“I’m very fortunate with the collaborators I’ve had the opportunity to work with and I’d like to use these contacts to help bring forward the next generation of up and coming researchers”.
Pedagogical and Health Services Research
Phil’s key interests include health services and pedagogical research. His forthcoming pedagogical research, Prior Care Experience, is a national project funded by the Department of Health, which will track the impact of prior experience of caring to progression within pre-registration student nursing programmes. This research will commence in September 2015 for 3.5 years and Phil will work in partnership with Nottingham University, Anglia Ruskin University and he has since involved the University of Huddersfield.
Phil is also engaged in health services research into the needs of people experiencing musculoskeletal chronic pain. He is interested in developing innovative pain interventions, including the use of telephone-delivered interventions such as cognitive behavioural therapy with his MUSICIAN trial with Professor Karina Lovell from the University of Manchester and his MAmMOTH trial in collaboration with an interdisciplinary research team led by Professor Gary Macfarlane from the University of Aberdeen.
Phil’s research contributions were recognised when he became a Fellow of the European Academy of Nursing Science in 2012.
International Networking for Healthcare and Education Conference
Phil is a member of the organising committee for the annual International Healthcare and Education Conference which is held in Cambridge. With over 300 delegates from as far afield as Australia and Africa the conference brings together a broad spectrum of health care educators from those at the beginning of their careers to those with a wealth of experience. The ethos of the conference is participation and inter-professional health education.
All roads lead to Huddersfield
Originally from St. Helens Phil has moved around from the Wirral, where he did his adult nursing training, to Manchester, where he was based from 1982 to present day, firstly studying his post registration mental health nursing qualification before working as a Community Mental Health Nurse for five years and then moving into lecturer practitioner teaching and health education.
In his spare time Phil is a keen runner, having taken part in the Manchester marathon, half marathons including the Great North Run and several 10Ks. He is also a regular at his local gym in Sale, Cheshire and is currently considering a re-location to Huddersfield.
You can find out more about Professor Philip Keeley by reading his Staff Profile.
