Elizabeth is an independent health service adviser. The focus of her work and abiding passion is the continuous improvement of health care. She was until April 2004 the Nurse Director and lead Director for the Review and Inspection programme in the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI).Prior to this appointment she was Assistant Chief Nurse in the Department of Health. Her current portfolio of work includes commissioned independent Inquiries / investigations, the delivery of innovative professional development programmes and the mentoring of senior personnel.

She is a registered sick childrens nurse, a registered general nurse, and midwife and health visitor. She has published widely and spoken on many occasions at both national and international conferences.

Elizabeth has honorary doctorates from Wolverhampton, Nottingham and the University of Central England, and holds honorary professorships at two universities. In 2004 she was made a fellow of the RCN, which complements her honorary fellowships of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Queens Nursing Institute and honorary membership of the faculty of Public Health. She is Vice President of Nottingham University.

She has been a member of the Independent panel scrutinising the implementation of Commissioning a patient led NHS as well as a member of the Health Innovation and Education Clusters ( HIECs) National Award Panel, the DH Advisory group for Essence of Care, the Connecting for Health Advisory Group for the Summary Care Record, the National Information Governance Board for Health and Social Care and the Prime Ministers Commission on the future of nursing and midwifery. She is currently the chair of the national Health Visitor Taskforce and a member of the Children and Young Peoples Health outcomes Forum.