Dr Patricia Black

National Teaching Fellow 2011 Dr Patricia Black has overall responsibility for a portfolio of postgraduate Master's courses for health professionals working in or with the NHS, principally pharmacists practising in the key areas of the profession. The range of learning and teaching support activities in which Pat is involved is numerous and wide-ranging, and unique. An internationally renowned pharmacy practice academic has described Pat as, "...in the top three leading edge developmental academics within the world of pharmacy education." During her career at Keele, Pat has built a rare combination of skills around knowledge of health care, pedagogical issues and experience of constructing courses via distance education. She has been described by senior management in her institution as demonstrating "very considered and successful approach to innovation in teaching for distance learning; outstanding and inspirational leadership over many years." She has a record of leadership and innovation for her work, reflected in achievements both within the Faculty of Health and in national and international indicators of esteem. She demonstrates vision and leading-edge thinking in her practice, particularly in relation to open, distance and flexible learning, and the use of structured reflective learning portfolios that have received critical acclaim nationally and internationally. Her research publications demonstrate the positive transformational effect her work has had on learners. Pat founded and subsequently developed a highly successful postgraduate unit and team that deliver successful and relevant courses to qualified healthcare professionals at a distance, meeting a strongly expressed need for learning within the workplace. Pat has achieved this by maximising the use of new technologies and learning tools as they become available. The innovative portfolio of CPD Plus+ and CPD Plus+ Open Learn courses that she conceptualised and developed, to allow health professionals a multitude of options and flexible pathways to meet their personal learning and professional development goals, has been upheld as a model of excellence and provided a lead and guide for others.