Sarah Rayfield

I joined the Public Health Training Scheme in Oxford in 2012, initially undertaking an academic placement and then starting the MSc in Global Health Science at the University of Oxford in 2013 after returning from maternity leave. Prior to this, I graduated from Imperial College School of Medicine in 2005, first undertaking Foundation Training and then joining the Paediatric Training Scheme in Oxford in 2007, attaining membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in 2009. I moved into Public Health training due to an interest in tackling child health from a wider perspective, in particular addressing health inequalities and childhood obesity.

While on the training scheme, I have been fortunate to undertake a number of interesting placements including health protection training and working in local authorities on projects including developing a healthy lifestyle programme for the under 5s to run in children’s centres, a media campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of high blood pressure and a health needs assessment on young carers in Berkshire. More recently, I spent a year with the Health and Wellbeing Team at Public Health England South East working with local authorities to evaluate their provision against Best Start in Life and developing a resource to help improve School Readiness. I am currently on placement at Oxford University Hospital NHS Foundation trust working with Paediatrics and Oxfordshire County Council to promote healthy weight in childhood and develop a Whole Systems Approach to Obesity.