Ruth was born and brought up in north Wales. After graduating from the University of Liverpool, Ruth’s medical career started in Liverpool where she trained as a GP before moving to public health.
She was a senior lecturer (foundation director for the Masters in Public Health) before becoming Liverpool’s Director of Public Health, a post she held for over 10 years. She went on to leadership posts at Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority, northwest regional level and at the Dept of Health, leading the transition of public health to local government in England, before becoming Chief Medical Officer for Wales and Medical Director of NHS Wales. She retired from the role in 2016. She has been committed to reducing health inequalities in all her roles.
Currently, she is a non-executive Board member for the NHS Integrated Care Board in Cheshire and Merseyside, and a trustee of The Reader charity. She was a non-executive director and deputy chair of the Food Standards Agency for 7 years. She became a Governor at The Health Foundation in 2018.
She is a contributor or chair to a number of policy and research advisory boards with NIHR, including the advisory board for the School for Public Health Research. She has been involved in independent commissions in England and Wales, participating in two NHS reviews and a commission looking at the use of law in public health emergencies. She chairs the Care Inspectorate Wales Advisory Board. She holds honorary positions and awards from a number of Universities.
Ruth was the High Sheriff for Merseyside in 23/24, and lives in Liverpool.
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