With an NHS career spanning 36 years Em has remained a practicing nurse throughout. Specialising in Cardiology and High Dependency Care she moved into clinical management at the John Radcliffe in Oxford, achieving a Masters in Healthcare Management. She has extensive Board level experience as Chief Nurse, Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive across several acute and community Trusts. She was awarded associate honorary professorships from both Exeter and Plymouth Universities and prior to semi-retiring in May 2025, Em worked at NHS England for 6 years. As a national director, also acting national Chief People Officer for the NHS for 18 months, Em’s portfolio included staff experience and leadership development for the 1.4 million NHS workforce. Em led the national Workforce Cell throughout the Covid 19 Pandemic and is proud of the increased and sustained promotion of staff health and wellbeing and was privileged to lead the national Retention Programme for 5 years; leading to a reduction in the staff leaver rate across England. Em is currently a Non Executive Director at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.