Research Institute for Social Sciences

Professor Rigby focuses on the intersection of health policy, social and public policy, and information and informatics. Drawing on his earlier experience in research, needs analysis and service planning in the NHS, and his academic career in researching and teaching healthcare management and policy (with a focus on information, quality, and non-acute services), Professor Rigby now undertakes expert and advisory roles in a wide range of projects across Europe.

He has led several European projects on health indicators, primarily in child health.  He has analysed the issues which impede effective utilisation of informatics systems in health, and is co-author of the internationally recognised Statement on Reporting of Evaluation Studies of Health Informatics (STARE-HI), and the supporting Guidelines on Evaluation Processes (GEP-HI).  In 2010 he led a European Science Foundation Exploratory Workshop at Keele to examine issues in utilising information systems to harmonise person-centric delivery of health and care services, which has led to international follow-up.

Professor Rigby is now an advisor to many organisations and projects.  He is rapporteur for the OECD in their work on Smart Health Systems, collaborator with the European Science Foundation’s Standing Committee for the Social Sciences on the role of social science in enabling informatics applications in health and social care, and expert adviser to the European Commission.  He is a part-time faculty member of the Nordic School of Public Health.