Ruth has lived and travelled in many different countries of the world, however her family roots are in Scotland and also Wakefield where she has worked as a Public Health professional for the last 8 years. Ruth began her career at Manchester University, in 1988 she graduated with a 2:1 honours degree in Nursing, she also qualified as a Registered Nurse and a Health Visiting. Ruth worked as a staff nurse at Manchester Royal Infirmary on the University teaching ward before working as a Health Visitor in Rochdale with Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities and in North Manchester with a very deprived community. After taking a teaching qualification at night school Ruth took a position in lecturing on the Nursing diploma and degree courses at Stockport College.

In 1996 Ruth followed a long held ambition to work overseas and went to work with flood affected communities developing a community health programme in Pakistan with VSO. It was the experience of grass roots public health work in Pakistan that fired Ruth up to enrol on a Masters in Public Health programme on her return from Pakistan in 1998. While studying, Ruth worked as a ‘professional development nurse’ and then after qualifying with a 2:1 honours Ruth took up a post in the public health directorate at Barnsley PCT as Heart Health Co-Ordinator. The next move was then to Wakefield as Head of Nursing and Allied Health Professionals and then as Nurse Consultant Public Health and subsequently Head of Public Health Vulnerable Groups.

Having achieved registration on the Public Health Voluntary Register in Dec 08, Ruth is currently on part time secondment as Locum Consultant in Public Health at NHS East Ridings of Yorkshire.

Ruth believes there should always be life outside of work and is a keen photographer, loves pottering around the garden and having adventures in distant parts of the world.