Chief Nurse and Director of Midwifery Fellowship graduates celebrated at CeNREE event
Staff from across University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) have celebrated completing the Chief Nurse and Director of Midwifery Fellowship programme at a graduation event hosted by the Centre for NMAHP Research and Education Excellence (CeNREE).
The programme supports nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (AHPs) to develop leadership skills while delivering a quality improvement or research project alongside their clinical role.
The celebration event saw 22 fellows present their work through a poster marketplace, showcasing projects focused on improving patient care before receiving a badge and certificate from Ann-Marie Riley, chief nurse.
One of the graduates was Sophie Granville, an advanced occupational therapist.
Sophie said: “The fellowship gave me the structure to take forward a research idea alongside my clinical role. My project focused on improving functional rehabilitation in critical care, looking at how we support patients with everyday activities much earlier in their recovery.
“The support throughout the programme was really strong, and the learning days helped build a wider understanding of how UHNM works.”
Ann-Marie Riley, chief nurse, said: “It’s a privilege to see how much people grow during the programme. Many start off feeling quite nervous but quickly build confidence and are able to present their work clearly and professionally.
“We’ve seen people go on to take on new roles and progress their careers, and we’d encourage anyone interested to contact the CeNREE team to find out more.”
Rachel Houghton, CeNREE programme lead, said: “The CeNREE, Chief Nurse and Director of Midwifery Fellowships are open every year to non-medical professional staff- nurses, midwives, AHPs, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and healthcare scientists.
“The standard of projects is consistently high and continues to improve each year, and for 2026, we welcome a cohort of 37 Fellows. It highlights the strength of talent across UHNM and what staff can achieve when given the opportunity.”