Ruth is a nurse, educator, academic and healthcare leader whose career has been shaped by a belief in the transformative power of education, the importance of compassionate leadership and a commitment to improving care through learning, research and collaboration.
Ruth began her nursing career after training at St. James’s Hospital in Leeds, in Birmingham in 1989, initially working at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital before developing her clinical expertise across cardiac, general, major injuries and burns intensive care units. She progressed to senior sister roles, combining clinical leadership with a growing interest in education and professional development. These early experiences provided a strong foundation for her later work, giving her a deep understanding of both the realities of clinical practice and the importance of supporting those who learn within it.
Her passion for education led Ruth into higher education, initially at University of Birmingham, where she became a lecturer. She subsequently spent time at the University of Worcester as Lead for Continuing Professional Development, before joining the University of Nottingham as Associate Professor and Director of Education and Student Experience.
Alongside her professional career, Ruth has continued her own academic development. She holds a Doctorate in Education from University of Birmingham, focusing on leaders and leadership and is also a Principal Fellow of Advance HE.
In 2020, Ruth returned to the NHS as Head of the School of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals and Midwifery at University Hospitals Birmingham. She has provided strategic leadership for a large education portfolio, supporting thousands of staff and students and bringing together education, workforce development, research and clinical practice. Her work has included developing innovative student-led clinical learning environments and supporting the growth of clinical academic careers.
As Senior Responsible Officer for Education across the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System, Ruth provided strategic leadership and oversight for the development of the health and care workforce, ensuring that education, training and workforce planning are aligned to system priorities and the NHS10-year Health Plan. She has championed partnership working across NHS organisations, universities, social care and wider system partners, enabling the delivery of a coordinated, multi-professional approach to workforce transformation. Ruth has played a key role in strengthening governance, quality assurance, placement capacity, workforce intelligence and widening participation, while driving innovation through initiatives such as the Darzi Project, the Safe Learning Environment Charter, the Educator Workforce Strategy and the development of system-wide workforce planning infrastructure. Her leadership has helped position Birmingham and Solihull as a mature and collaborative education system, well placed to respond to future workforce challenges and support the delivery of integrated, community-focused care.
She has been recognised through an Honorary Doctor of Education with Birmingham Newman University. Throughout her career, Ruth has remained committed to creating opportunities for others, believing that effective leadership is grounded in authenticity, kindness, listening and enabling people to grow and flourish.