Following undergraduate studies in nursing, Louise undertook midwifery training at the Simpson Memorial Maternity Pavilion in Edinburgh. After studying for an MSc in Nursing Education at the University of Edinburgh she taught midwifery in the NHS in Manchester before moving to establish the first university diploma in Midwifery at University College of Swansea. Whilst at Swansea was elected to both the RCM Council and the Welsh National Board. She is a fellow of the Florence Nightingale Foundation.

Following relocation to London, she was head of maternal and child health at the Nightingale and Guy’s College of Health before moving to the RCM as Director of Education and Practice Development.

Louise has been Deputy General Secretary at the RCM since 1997 with responsibility for the RCM’s service to members in all four UK countries. Louise is the RCM lead on midwifery regulation, indemnity insurance and influenza. She has overall responsibility for RCM conference, midwifery awards, the annual event and celebrations for International Day of the Midwife. She is the co-chair of the ICM Regulation Standing Committee and is a co-investigator on the Birthplace study.