Parklands People: Robin Richardson returns to his nursing roots
Following an illustrious nursing and academic career spanning five decades, Robin Richardson should be enjoying a relaxing retirement. But instead of slowing down, he’s jumped back into the thick of it.
After stepping down last year from a senior academic role at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in Preston and relocating to Moray with his husband, Robin is back on the front line, bringing his vast expertise to Parklands’ community nursing team.
Reflecting on his return to hands-on care, Robin shares, “Getting back to clinical nursing after many years in the Higher Education sector has been wonderful. I love working with the elderly."
Originally from Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham, Robin began his nursing career in 1987 as a trainee at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. He recalls, “They used to run a two-year RGN programme for graduates and having just graduated with a degree in Human Physiology from the University of London, it was an ideal pre-registration nursing course for me.”
Robin’s career advanced in London, where he honed his skills at the Royal Free Hospital and St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. Specialising in surgical nursing, he eventually became a Charge Nurse on a vascular surgery ward. “From there, I joined one of the first Nurse Practitioner teams at St Mary’s, taking on many extended nursing roles, including the assessment of deteriorating patients during out-of-hours periods as well as hospital management. Most hospitals have these Nurse Practitioner teams now, but back in the 1990s, it was very innovative,” he explains.
His passion for teaching, fostered by mentoring student nurses, led him to pursue a master’s degree in healthcare education, paving the way for his first lecturing position at Thames Valley University in Ealing, West London. In 2003, Robin joined the Department of Nursing at UCLan as a Senior Lecturer, steadily climbing the ranks to become the Executive Dean for the Faculty of Allied Health and Wellbeing in 2020, a position he held until his ‘retirement’ in 2023.
But even with such an impressive CV, Robin wasn't ready to close the chapter on his nursing career after leaving UCLan. So, how did he end up in Moray? Robin explains, “My husband’s family are all Buckie folk, so it was always our intention to move up to the north-east when we retired. In September of last year, we bought a house in Portessie and finally made the 400-mile move.”
Three months later, he secured a part-time job with Parklands as part of the Moray Community Nursing Team. “As I had always maintained my nursing registration, the part-time job with Parklands seemed like a great opportunity to do something I’ve always loved while getting to know other people in my newly adopted homeland. It’s great to be nursing again, it feels like my career has come full circle and I’ve met some wonderful residents.”
Robin quickly found his place within the well-established team. “The camaraderie between the nurses in the Moray team is brilliant. We are all very supportive of each other. Parklands is lucky to have so many dedicated staff who work really hard to provide a safe home environment for their residents. They all do a great job in some challenging circumstances,” he says.
While most people associate a career in nursing with the NHS, Robin believes that social care is an ideal route into the profession. He shares, “I have been pleased to work with two student nurses at Speyside, and it would be great to see more in all our homes. Students have a great curiosity that keeps us on our toes; plus, giving students an enjoyable learning experience on placement might attract some to come straight into the social care sector as qualified nurses.”
Robin’s passion for nursing remains as strong as ever, even after decades in the field. “I have always felt that it is a privilege to be a nurse and to support patients, residents, and their families through some of the hardest times of their lives. That gives you a massive amount of job satisfaction.”
• If you’re inspired by Robin’s story, why not visit our careers hub for the latest nursing vacancies – parklandsgroup.com/careers
