From the lecture theatre to the NHS frontline
At Keele, our healthcare academics don’t just prepare students for working in the NHS of tomorrow. With over 200 of our colleagues also working clinically in the NHS, some quite literally go from the lecture theatre to the operating theatre. From delivering babies to saving lives, the wealth of expertise at Keele has a positive impact not just on our students, but also on local people on a daily basis.
Our partners | Working closely with NHS organisations
At Keele, our healthcare academics don’t just prepare students for working in the NHS of tomorrow. With over 200 of our colleagues also working clinically in the NHS, some quite literally go from the lecture theatre to the operating theatre. From delivering babies to saving lives, the wealth of expertise at Keele has a positive impact not just on our students, but also on local people on a daily basis.
The partnership between Keele University and University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) plays a vital role in developing the highly skilled healthcare professionals needed by local and national health services. Through the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Keele’s four Schools deliver high-quality education and training in Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, Pharmacy, and Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, combining academic excellence with hands-on clinical experience through close collaboration with UHNM.
The University and UHNM also have a strong track record of successful research collaboration. Recent investment, including the creation of a third health-related research institute and the appointment of new clinical professors, reflects a shared commitment to expanding world-leading research in regenerative medicine and primary and secondary care, improving local health and wellbeing, and strengthening links with the commercial sector.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, was granted University Trust status in 2025 following a successful joint bid with Keele. Both organisations have strong foundations in continuous improvement and research, collaborative working and a commitment to life-long learning and education.
The Trust currently has more than 50 research studies being carried out, with thousands of patients having taken part in these trials every year. These studies are helping to shape the future of healthcare locally, nationally and potentially worldwide. The collaboration with Keele strengthens research, clinical education, and training for medical students, nurses, and allied health professionals to improve care in Shropshire.
Keele University and MPFT have a joint research strategy and work collaboratively and closely across a wide range of Trust activities, including research, training and education. This close and cross-fertilising relationship has a number of joint clinical/academic posts now being supported and a variety of successful grant and project applications being undertaken across the organisations. This includes joint work between MPFT's rheumatology clinicians and Keele University's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences to improve the understanding and management of common musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain.
In the field of mental health, the partnership between MPFT and Keele University has conducted research on themes such as the physical health of people with severe mental illness, dementia, and perinatal mental health (mental health conditions which occur during pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child).
Keele University has established extensive partnerships with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and regional NHS trusts, particularly with the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent (SSOT) ICB and Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin (STW) ICB. These collaborations focus on health research, workforce development, and clinical education to improve regional health outcomes. We work closely with primary care and community partners across both research and education. Our leadership of the NIHR School for Primary Care is under pinned by this relationship, highlighting the importance of primary care to the NHS.
(RJAH) is a leading specialist NHS foundation trust in Oswestry, Shropshire, focusing on orthopaedic surgery, musculoskeletal medicine, and rehabilitation. Rated "Outstanding" for caring by the CQC, it provides national and regional expertise in spinal injuries, sports injuries, and metabolic disorders. Keele works closely with RJAH, not only on educational placements but also on their world leading research.
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust is a leading provider of inpatient and community mental health, learning disability, substance misuse and primary care services in the West Midlands. NSCHT and Keele University form a strategic partnership focusing on healthcare education, research, and clinical service, including the integration of Keele Practice into the Trust. This collaboration involves joint clinical-academic roles, mental health research, and training initiatives, with the Trust receiving accolades like 'Exemplary Placement Provider’.
