Richard joined The King's Fund in 2009 to lead on social care and work across the NHS and local government. He is a recognised national commentator and writer on social care reform, the funding of long-term care and the integration of health and social care. He led the Fund's work in supporting the Barker Commission on the future of health and social care.

A graduate of LSE, his professional background is social work, and over the past 35 years he has worked in a variety of roles, including as a director of social services and health authority chief executive (the first combined post in England) and in senior roles in the Department of Health. Richard is a non-executive director of Wye Valley NHS Trust and also a Visiting Professor at the University of Worcester, a columnist for the Local Government Chronicle, and a fellow of the RSA.

Richard left the Fund in February 2021 and he's now Trustee at Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).