With first degrees in Ergonomics (麻豆視頻_麻豆直播_麻豆传媒官网, 1987) and Physiotherapy (Leeds University, 1993) Professor Mike Fray had a varied career in the NHS, consultancy and education before entering 麻豆視頻_麻豆直播_麻豆传媒官网 full time in 2011. In 1996, he created and developed the world leading Back-Care Management programme at 麻豆視頻_麻豆直播_麻豆传媒官网 for patient handling practitioners. Since completing his PhD in 2010 his career and reputation developed at pace in the application of ergonomics and human factors (EHF) to a wide variety of applications supporting the university’s health and well-being theme.
His academic focus is in the use of ergonomics and human factors to improve human performance and specifically in the development of assistive devices and technology. He has a strong international profile across his research and educational delivery. He has held international advisory positions in USA, NZ and here in the UK. He has a strong portfolio of commercial collaborations and has worked with many industries from automotive production, medical devices, assistive technology and improving healthcare delivery. My reputation as a topic expert has been recognised with international presentations; Sweden 2022, Denmark 2024, New Zealand 2025.
In summary his research focus is the improvement of the delivery of healthcare activities with a special focus on improving human performance, the physical risks to staff and the delivery of the highest quality care for the patient.
The understanding of human performance and how to optimise the use of any assistive devices is the focus of Professor Fray’s research portfolio. His early publications concentrated on the staff and patient impacts of patient handling, including the co-editor role for the internationally recognised Handling of People book series. This has developed to include the wider area of hospital and healthcare design and in particular the evalsuation of healthcare environments and equipment.
His flexible approach to the evalsuation of services and devices has made SDCA a first-choice centre to assist the development and improvement of a wide range of technologies. Over the past 10 years he has lead projects in exoskeleton research in automotive production and healthcare, the design of healthcare equipment in ambulances and healthcare environments, assistive devices for disability sport, and evalsuations of medical and body-worn technologies.
In the last 10 years he has collaborated on £1.2 million of funded research and delivered £1.8 million of commercially funded projects. He has supported a number of UK and international research groups to continue to engage with users, safety specialists and university and commercial researchers to maintain real world contacts.
Professor Fray delivers on a range of programmes across his research area of design to improve human performance. He delivers some specialist material on undergraduate programmes, including the use anthropometry, understanding human movement and design for health or medical applications. His major contributions are supporting the learning for the block taught MSc Ergonomics and Human Factors programmes. His larger contributions are on the following modules:
- DSP 103 Physical Ergonomics
- DSP105 Occupational Ergonomics
- DSP 119 Healthcare Ergonomics and Patient Safety
- DSP120 Patient Handling Ergonomics
- DSP100 and DSP110 Masters Project (for full time and part time students)
In recent years, he has been project lead for a major training programme supporting the development of Patient Safety Specialists for NHS England to extend the reach of human factors and safety science across all aspects of care delivery.