The Respiratory Physiology Unit at the Glenfield Hospital has been renamed in honour of the late Professor Mike Morgan in recognition of his outstanding contribution to respiratory medicine across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and beyond.
The unit was officially renamed The Mike Morgan Respiratory Physiology Unit during a moving ceremony attended by colleagues and members of Professor Morgan’s family, including his wife Clare and their two sons Theo and Charlie.
Professor Morgan joined the Glenfield Hospital in 1988 and was instrumental in developing respiratory services. He established the hospital’s home ventilation service, which today supports around 1,500 patients, championed access to wider lung function testing and played a key role in expanding specialist services including sleep medicine and cardiopulmonary exercise. He went on to establish Leicester as one of the UK’s leading centres for respiratory medicine, research and education.
Charlotte Swales, Consultant Respiratory Physician and Head of the Respiratory and Allergy Service at UHL, said: “Mike’s vision, leadership and unwavering commitment to improving patient care shaped the respiratory service we know today, creating a department that continues to benefit thousands of patients every year. It is a proud and fitting tribute that our service will now carry his name – a lasting legacy for someone who changed the direction of travel for patients, colleagues and the wider clinical landscape, and who gave so much to Glenfield and to the people we serve.”
Professor Morgan’s influence extended well beyond Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. He served as President of the British Thoracic Society and became the first National Clinical Director for Respiratory Disease at NHS England. He was widely recognised nationally and internationally for his contribution to respiratory medicine and continued to support the profession following his retirement from UHL.
Professor Chris Brightling, Clinical Professor in Respiratory Medicine at the University of Leicester, said: “Professor Mike Morgan was a giant in respiratory medicine and research. He was the founding chair of the University of Leicester’s Institute for Lung health established in 2000 and had a particular interest in lung physiology. He championed wider access to lung function testing for early detection of disease making and it is therefore very fitting to rename the respiratory physiology Unit in his memory.”
As well as the renaming of the unit, a plaque has also been erected as a permanent reminder of Professor Morgan’s contribution to Respiratory Physiology at the Glenfield Hospital.