Rosemary qualified as a nurse in 1980. After working in hospitals in Bradford and Stafford, she worked as a practice nurse in Stone.

Following eight years as a primary care manager in two Health Authorities, Rosemary was appointed Nursing Officer for primary care at the Department of Health, where she worked for four years. Later she led the Working Time Directive programme at the Modernisation Agency.

Rosemary has been Director of the Queen’s Nursing Institute since January 2005. She was awarded a CBE for services to nursing and healthcare in 2008. Rosemary also holds an Honorary Doctorate from Manchester Metropolitan University, and was a Visiting Professor of Enterprise at Northumbria University from 2008-11.