Sarah Payne Riches

I have a clinical background as a physiotherapist but spent several years working in health services consultancy, including leading a review of the implementation of the Department of Health’s healthy weight strategy, before undertaking a Masters in Public Health at Imperial College London and joining the public health training programme.

As a public health registrar I have led a range of projects including redesigning homeless healthcare services, initiatives to improve maternity care, and development of a Thames Valley HIV strategy.  As well as working in more traditional public health settings, I have had the opportunity to work in research groups at the University of Oxford, and in the Behavioural Insights Team at Public Health England. I am currently taking time out of training to complete a PhD at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.  My research is funded through a British Heart Foundation Fellowship and investigates novel ways to encourage people with high blood pressure to reduce their salt intake, in order to decrease their cardiovascular disease risk.

It is fair to say I have taken a circuitous route into the field of public health and I feel exceptionally fortunate to have discovered the public health training programme, given the breadth and variety of interesting and challenging opportunities it offers.