Professor Lindsay Forbes

Interim Director of CHSS (Joint) | Clinical Professor of Public Health | Academic Lead, NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration Medway | Health in Places (Public Health) Theme Lead, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration, Kent Surrey Sussex | Public Health Specialty Lead, NIHR South East Regional Research Delivery Network

MBBS BSc MSc MD MRCP(UK) FFPH

About

I carry out public health research into the prevention of ill health and organisation of primary care. I am a champion for developing research capacity and culture in local government public health.

Research interests

• Using evidence to inform policy
• Promoting early diagnosis
• Building evidence for prevention of ill health focusing on the root causes (physical, economic and psychosocial)
• Building research capacity and capability

Currently Researching

Research culture and capacity in local government public health

• Leading the ARC KSS Public Health Research Network to join up academia and local government across Kent Surrey and Sussex
• Working closely with Medway Council, which hosts an NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration
• Leading for public health research delivery in local government through the Regional NIHR Research Delivery Network

For current grants please see my ORCID profile 0000-0002-4654-9520

Background

A public health physician with long experience of practising public health as well as researching it, I joined CHSS in January 2016 from King’s College London, where I co-led a research group researching pathways to care in cancer and ways of speeding up diagnosis. I also advised the Department of Health on cancer policy including the Be Clear on Cancer campaigns. I played a major role in developing an innovative evidence-based approach to information about cancer screening in England, aiming to offer informed choice (information I co-developed is still in use, sent to millions of people each year). Before 2008, I was consultant in public health medicine in Wandsworth PCT, where I was clinical effectiveness lead and provided public health advice on acute commissioning and cancer services, alongside a role in St George’s, University of London studying the epidemiology of chronic disease in relation to air quality.

I trained in academic public health medicine 1995-2001 in London, where I was lucky to have a joint NHS-university post in South London health authorities and King’s College London. Before that I spent several years in acute hospital medicine after qualifying in 1988 from Guys, King’s and St Thomas’ Medical School (then the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals).

Supervision

Currently supervising postgraduate students

– Salmaan Ansari
– Katherine Buckeridge
– Sarah Spencer
– Tim Woodhouse
– Kate Birrell

Professional

GMC Specialist Register Public Health

External examiner for Masters in Public Health, University of Southampton
External PhD examiner (various)

Publications

Last updated 9 May 2026