Dr Ruth Hussey CB, OBE, DL

Member of Council 2025-2028

Ruth’s career started at Liverpool University Medical School. After graduating she trained as a GP before moving to public health. She was a senior lecturer in Public Health at the University of Liverpool and Foundation Director for the multidisciplinary Masters in Public Health. Later 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, as well as a Governor and Deputy Chair at The Health Foundation. She was a non-executive director and deputy chair of the Food Standards Agency between 2016 – 2023.

She is a contributor or chair to a number of policy and research advisory boards for the National Institute Health Research, including the advisory board for the School for Public Health Research. She chairs the Care Inspectorate Wales Advisory Board.

Ruth was appointed Vice Lord-Lieutenant for Merseyside in July 2024.