University of Central Lancashire Nursing graduate, Paul Jebb, has achieved career success with the NHS, rising through the ranks from Staff Nurse to Associate Chief Nurse.
Paul’s career journey began at the University in the 1990s when he completed a Diploma of Higher Education in Pre-Registration Nursing, which he followed with a BSc (Hons) Nursing in 2001.
When Paul completed his studies for his nursing qualifications, he worked as a Staff Nurse and Charge Nurse at Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals. Following completion of his undergraduate degree, he went on to higher level positions including Ward Manager, Senior Nurse Manager and Directorate Manager across several NHS Trusts.
From 2010 to 2014, Paul was the Assistant Director of Nursing and Patient Experience for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Whilst fulfilling this role, Paul returned to UCLan for postgraduate study and completed a Master’s in Health Services Management.
Reflecting on his time studying at University, Paul said: “The support that I got from the academic staff was vital for me to achieve academically and personally. I have become more appreciative of academia.”
In his current role as Associate Chief Nurse for Patient Experience, Engagement and Safeguarding at Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, Paul has led on developing service user and carer councils, person-centred care framework, and developing greater involvement of carers and service users in Trust improvement programmes. He has also enhanced the role of volunteers and driven change using customer feedback.
Paul has achieved a lot during his career and has recently been granted a Florence Nightingale Foundation Senior Leadership Scholarship, which has been awarded to around ten recipients from across the world, to help them explore and discover their own leadership style and develop the essential skills to be a courageous leader, enabling them to contribute to policy and practice at a local and national level to improve patient care and health outcomes.
In September 2021, Paul was "humbled and thrilled" to win the Patient Experience Network NHS Patient Experience Manager of the Year and in 2022, Paul was a finalist in the Nurse Manager of the Year Awards at the Nursing Times Workforce summit. Paul was also part of a research project with Lancaster University that won the 'Outstanding Contribution to Patient and Public Involvement' award at the North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards.
Throughout his career, Paul has progressed his professional development to achieve executive leadership and has successfully completed targeted training courses, including an NHS England/NHS Improvement and London South Bank University course aimed at Aspiring Executive Nurses.
Paul is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer at UCLan and has experience of being a member of professional and governance boards such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council Professional Strategy Advisory Group and the Royal College of Nursing editorial board. He also does voluntary work, is an experienced charity Trustee and is currently the Chair of the board of trustees at the Aiming Higher charity in Blackpool, and the Lancaster and District Community and Voluntary Solutions (CVS). He has also previously been Chair of the Blackpool Carers Centre and has represented the Royal College of Nursing at at regional, national and international levels and has was been a member of the steering group for the RCN Nurses in Leadership and Management Forum.
In recognition of his outstanding work, Paul won a 2018 Cavell Nurses’ Star Award for his dedication to supporting colleagues across nursing. Paul has also published articles and book chapters relating to nursing care and leadership.
Despite his prestigious place within the NHS, Paul believes his greatest professional achievement was when it all began back at the University. He said: “As well as becoming a father and a husband, my biggest achievement is graduating, when at school I never thought I would have gained a degree.”
When asked what advice he would give to students wishing to pursue a similar career, Paul advised: “Be prepared to work hard and play hard. Take all the opportunities that come your way. Remember to have a voice for your profession and your patients.”
