New Professor of Nursing appointed

Professor Felicity Astin has been appointed Professor of Nursing at the OU’s School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care.

Professor Astin joins the OU after 7 years in a joint academic post as Professor of Nursing at the University of Huddersfield and Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust. Here she enjoyed a varied role, developing Research Excellence Framework assessments and working with academic colleagues on impact case studies. She also worked with colleagues in research and development in NHS settings and across corporate nursing.

Professor Astin is motivated by making a difference to health services for patients either through research, education or service improvement. Her research has focused on improving care for people with cardiovascular disease and she has an interest in patients’ perspectives about key aspects of their recovery. In addition to her Professorship, Professor Astin is a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology, where she led a committee that developed a curriculum for cardiovascular nurses in Europe.

In her new role as Professor of Nursing at the OU, Professor Astin will be providing research mentorship and support to colleagues as well as leading on her own research. She will aim to strengthen OU links with NHS partners, patients and carers in addition to co-creating applied health research and practicing collaborations. She will also be contributing to OU nursing programs.

Professor Astin is “thrilled” to be working at the OU after years walking past a statue of the OU founder, Harold Wilson, whilst she worked in Huddersfield. She added, “I am looking forward to supporting colleagues to realise their ambitions. I fully understand how transformative education can be, having started my own academic career as a mature student enrolled on a degree course.”

Professor Felicity Astin joined the OU in September 2022.