Ruth May

Ruth was previously Nursing Director at Monitor, the healthcare sector regulator whose responsibilities transferred to NHS Improvement on 1 April 2016. She joined Monitor in July 2015. Prior to that she was Regional Chief Nurse and Nurse Director for the Midlands and East region of NHS England.

Dr May began her career with a variety of nursing roles before becoming a theatre sister at Frimley Park Hospital. She was Acting Director of Nursing at Barnet Hospital before being appointed the substantive Director of Nursing and Deputy Chief Executive with Havering Primary Care Trust.

In October 2005, she became Chief Executive of The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn, a post which she held for two years. She has also been Chief Executive of Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust. Ruth led ‘Stop the Pressure’ which nearly halved the number of pressure ulcers in M&E, improving care for patients as well as delivering cost savings to the NHS.