Richard has worked within critical care in the UK and Australia, cardiac care and acute care. His interest in digital developed early on his career focusing on improving care for the acutely unwell adult, particularly the role of technology can play which was regionally and nationally recognised. In 2019, Richard was appointed as Head of Nursing (Digital Transformation), a key clinical leader for the successful Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) Hive EPR programme implementation. He later transitioned to Deputy Chief Nursing Informatics Officer (CNIO) and then appointed to Group CNIO in early 2024. Richard has grown a unique multi professional Digital NMAHP Team enhancing the NMAHP leadership and experience in digital.

As Group CNIO, Richard is a core member of the Digital Services Team and Corporate Nursing Team. The role provides senior professional leadership to the Trust’s digital and organisational strategy, including, but not exclusively, the Hive EPR programme. Richard’s role identifies opportunities to transform practice for the benefit of patients and in partnership with other digital leaders, provides expert professional and clinical advice and guidance and engages with key stakeholders to ensure patient and clinical involvement in the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of systems and services.

The Hive EPR implementation has been one of the largest in England including 10 hospitals and over 8000 nurses, midwives and AHP colleagues. Richard is also part of the NHS Digital Academy Digital Health Leadership Programme Alumni, following completion of cohort 4 in 2022.