Professor Rob’s a National Teaching Fellow

Rob McSherry struggled greatly at school and feared he would never achieve his aim of becoming a qualified nurse.

Over thirty years later, Rob is now a Professor of Nursing and Practice Development at Teesside University and has just been awarded a prestigious National Teaching Fellowship. The £10,000 Fellowships are awarded by the Higher Education Academy to academics from universities in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, in recognition of their excellence in learning and teaching. Only 55 were awarded this year and Rob will receive his Fellowship in a special ceremony in London in October.

Rob, 48, from Darlington, said: 'My twin brother Wilfred and I were considered to be educationally behind our peers, requiring additional educational support at school. Now he’s also a Professor of Dignity in Care for Older People, Staffordshire University/The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust like me.

'And I have now been awarded this Fellowship. I could not believe it, it wasn’t expected at all and I feel quite humbled by the recognition from my peers. It’s good not just for me but for the whole of Teesside University’s School of Health & Social Care. I’ll be using the £10,000 towards supporting the student experience here.' Rob first decided he wanted to be a nurse in his early teens, while growing up in Whitehaven, Cumbria. He was inspired and influenced by his cousins with disabilities and aged 16 when watching and observing professional nurses caring for his terminally ill father.

However, he couldn’t follow his desired route due to not excelling at school. At 16, he joined the RAF and after basic training was posted to RAF St Athans, South Wales as a Painter and Finisher. Three years later he was able to start his career path, returning to Cumbria to start a pre-nursing course which he completed successfully. His first post was as a Newly Qualified Staff Nurse on a Medical Ward at West Cumberland Hospital, back in Whitehaven. Rob moved to North Tees Hospital, Stockton becoming a Senior Staff Nurse working with Older People then onto Darlington Memorial Hospital, as a Charge Nurse for Older People.

He followed this by moving to The University Hospital of James Cook in Middlesbrough, again as a Charge Nurse working on a Rehabilitation Ward for Older People and Stroke Rehabilitation Unit. Rob then left Teesside to work at Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trust and Sheffield University in his first combined clinical and academic role as a Practice Development Adviser/Lecturer, employed by Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trust in Derbyshire. Joined Teesside University Rob joined Teesside University in 1999 as a Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing/Practice Development, and achieved a master’s degree and PhD at Teesside. Rob added: 'One of my professional highlights at Teesside was in developing and launching the Excellence in Practice Accreditation Scheme (EPAS) in February 2003, a quality framework which enables practice areas to demonstrate formally that the service they are providing is of a high quality both to satisfy the demands of quality assurance and to support individual revalidation.

'EPAS facilitates excellence in practice across a comprehensive set of measurable core standards derived from a professional peer review of best practice.

'Another highlight was developing one of the first Professional Doctorates in Advancing Practice for the School of Health & Social Care within the University.

'I was also awarded a Fellowship to the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin in December 2010 for my significant contributions to nursing. From the Vice-Chancellor down, everyone at Teesside has been highly supportive of my successful career progression.' Rob has just completed a secondment from the University, working for Mid -Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust (MSFT), helping to facilitate the enhancement of the quality of nursing and learning environment. Rob is also supporting the implementation of the EPAS framework.

Away from work, he is a father-of-three and an athletics coach for the Quakers Running Club in Darlington. Rob also takes part in mountain marathons and fell running, in Durham and the Lake District. He added: 'I have always believed in looking forward and never giving up on the ability of oneself and others in unlocking and maximizing you’re potential. Learning and education can be accessed by everyone.'

Professor Paul Keane, OBE Dean of the University’s School of Health & Social Care, said: 'This is excellent news for Rob and the school which once again acknowledges the enhancements and innovations in our Learning and Teaching.'

---