Helen Richards (MBBCh, MRCGP, DRCOG, DCH, DPD, DTM&H, PhD)

Clinical Senior Lecturer, HCP-Med Programme Director

  • Edinburgh Medical School
  • College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Contact details

Address

Street

QMRI
Little France Crescent

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH16 4TJ

Background

Helen Richards is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at Edinburgh Medical School and Programme Director for HCP-Med.  She is a general practitioner and combines her undergraduate teaching with clinical work. 

Helen qualified in medicine in Cardiff and trained as a GP in Bristol.  She then moved to Glasgow and, as part of a Wellcome Trust Research Training Fellowship, completed her PhD, which used quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate social class and gender variations in access to health services.  She worked for 12 years in a traditional 2-partner family practice in Inverness while maintaining an interest in both teaching and research.   

In 2016, Helen began teaching at Edinburgh University as the MBChB Year 4 GP Module Lead, and in 2019, took up the post of HCP-Med Programme Director.  She continues to work as a GP and remains passionate about the role of the GP as 'expert generalist' and about the importance of holistic medicine and continuity of care. 

Qualifications

MBBCh, MRCGP, DRCOG, DCH, DPD, DTM&H, PhD

Responsibilities & affiliations

Programme Director, HCP-Med.

Undergraduate teaching

As Programme Director of HCP-Med, Helen is responsible for leading the HCP-Med team, and ensuring delivery of years 1-3 of the MBChB curriculum for HCP-Med students.

Research summary

Helen's main research interest has been inequalities in access to health services.  She has also been involved in research into access to healthcare in rural areas, and more recently, she completed an evaluation of an educational initiative which introduces undergraduate medical students to reflective practice

Current research interests

Helen has been involved in research into gender and social variations in access to health services and access for rural communities. She has recently been involved in research into reflective practice groups for undergraduate medical students.