Richard graduated from the Universities of Edinburgh and York before working as a health economist, initially in the NHS and then at the York Health Economics Consortium.
In 1989, he moved into NHS management at the Northern General Hospital, Sheffield. This was followed by chief executive roles at Sheffield Children’s Hospital Trust, Lincolnshire Health Authority, Sheffield Health Authority and West Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority.
Since 2005, Richard has worked in a variety of policy, advisory and interim roles across the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care including information, IT, national commissioning of specialised health services, and health and social care integration. He continues to be Chief Executive of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel, an expert body which advises the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care about disputed NHS service changes.