Gina Radford

The Reverend
Gina Radford
Born (1955-04-25) 25 April 1955 (age 69)
Surrey, England
ReligionChristianity (Anglican)
ChurchChurch of England
Ordained2016
Congregations served
St Petrocs and St Marys
Websitestpetrocsandstmarys.org

Georgina Margaret Radford (born 25 April 1955) is a British priest in the Church of England and a former public health physician. Since June 2019, she has been team vicar in the Dart and Avon Mission Community in South Brent,[1] Devon, in the Diocese of Exeter.[2]

Having changed her career from the public physical and mental health provision, during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she was initially drawn back into her traditional field as a doctor, but found that her new calling was particularly suited in ministering to spiritual needs when also considering the sudden wider physical health symptoms which could result in long-term psychological changes,[3][4] and has contributed to advising on the church's response to the pandemic.[5]

Early life and education

Radford was born on 25 April 1955. She was educated at Guildford County School, then an all-girls grammar school.[6] She studied medicine at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, graduating with Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB BS) degrees in 1979.[7]

Career

Health professional

Prior to her ordained ministry, Radford was a public health physician who was the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England from 2015 to 2019.[8]

Radford led on the Department of Health's response to the early-2000s Shipman Inquiry and represented the Chief Medical Officer on the World Health Organization's Western Pacific Regional Committee.

After leaving the Department of Health in 2007, Radford was Director of Public Health in Fife, Director of Public Health for East of England and Centre Director for Anglia and Essex for Public Health England.[9][10]

Radford was a keynote speaker at a 2017 rare diseases conference organised by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.[11]

In November 2020, Radford was confirmed as a trustee of the UK National Organisation for Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.[12]

Radford also broadcasts on television, acts as an expert opinion in health matters,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19] and is a governor of Marjon University in Plymouth, Devon, England.[20]

Ordained ministry

Radford trained for ordination with the Eastern Region Ministry Course on a part-time basis from 2014 to 2016. She was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 2016 and as a priest in 2017.[7] She was a curate at St James' Church, Lode, in the Diocese of Ely from May 2016 to 2019.[21] She was installed as team vicar of St Petroc's Church, South Brent, Devon in June 2019.[22][23]

References

  1. ^ Dart and Avon Mission Community dartandavonmissioncommunity.org, Retrieved 20 November 2020
  2. ^ "Former Deputy Chief Medical Officer brings skills to new parish role", Diocese of Exeter website, 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  3. ^ Coronavirus diagnosis closes Churston Ferrers church for deep clean BBC News Devon, 6 March 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021
  4. ^ "Public health and spiritual health: five minutes with ... Gina Radford", The BMJ, 8 July 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  5. ^ "COVID-19: Scientific and Medical Background Briefing Paper 31st March 2020", Thinking Anglicans website, Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Radford, Rev. Georgina Margaret, (Gina), (born 25 April 1955), Deputy Chief Medical Officer, 2015–19; Team Vicar, Exeter, since 2019". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Georgina Margaret Radford". Crockford's Clerical Directory (online ed.). Church House Publishing. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  8. ^ "A Conversation with the Reverend Professor Gina Radford", American Cathedral in Paris website, 13 May 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Gina Radford". Public Health Matters website. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Gina Radford", UK government website. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  11. ^ "BPSU - Rare Disease Conference 2017: From bench to bedside - new treatments for children with rare disease", archived 12 September 2017 from the original. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  12. ^ "Distinguished New Trustees Join National FASD", National Organisation for FASD, 6 November 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  13. ^ "Devon vicar joins Prince William for service", Radio Exe, 24 May 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  14. ^ "William records mental health video message for national church service", Tottenham and Wood Green Independent, 22 May 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Prince William praises Christian teachings of faith, hope and love in online Church of England service". iNews, 24 May 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  16. ^ Politics England BBC, 29 March 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020
  17. ^ "Prince William records mental health message for national church service", The Independent, 24 May 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  18. ^ "Contributor: Dr Gina Radford", HuffPost. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  19. ^ "Large numbers of SW smokers quit", The Devon Daily, 20 September 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  20. ^ "Marjon progresses health focus with appointment of two new governors", Marjon University, 13 January 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Gina — Thinking Allowed/Anglesey Benefice Change of Service Pattern", Lode Star, May 2016, pp.30-31.
  22. ^ "St Petrocs and St Marys". stpetrocsandstmarys.org.uk Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  23. ^ "Swapping Medicine for Religion: Former Deputy CMO Turned Vicar", Medscape, 19 January 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021 (registration required).