She began her career as a health clinic receptionist in
Coventry, then undertook a degree in
social work with the
Open University.
Novichok poisonings Although she had worked for
Wiltshire Council for ten years, she had only been in post as Director of Public Health for three months at the time of the Skripal poisonings in March 2018). Her work on the incident, and the subsequent
poisonings of Charlie Rowley and Dawn Sturgess (the latter fatal), resulted in her being profiled by
The Guardian in January 2019. She was portrayed by
Anne-Marie Duff (and was briefly seen, as herself, in a non speaking role) in the three-part BBC Television drama
The Salisbury Poisonings, screened in June 2020, Lawrence Bowen, the series' executive producer, said: The series resulted in her receiving renewed media attention, including an interview in
The Telegraph, which described her as: In June 2020, she joined
Public Health England as Deputy Director of Population Health and Wellbeing for South-West England. == Awards ==