Ruth Glassborow leads the development and delivery of Scotland wide programmes and approaches that enable the application of quality improvement and large scale system redesign methodology to deliver better outcomes for people who need and use health and social care services. She has extensive knowledge and experience of effecting change through translating national policy priorities into change programmes that deliver sustained improvements whilst also influencing the direction of national policy.

Her remit includes the world renowned Scottish Patient Safety Programme which now sits alongside a wide range of other national improvement programmes focused on issues as diverse as improving access to primary care, implementation of Hospital at Home, commissioning community solutions, implementing an integrated frailty system, reducing elective waiting times, and redesigning services for individuals with substance use and mental health problems.

Before joining Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Ruth worked in the Scottish Government providing strategic leadership for a portfolio of programmes focused on delivering sustained improvements across dementia and mental health services. Prior to this she held a range of senior management positions in health and social care around the UK. Ruth started her career in the NHS as a National Management Trainee. She has a Masters in Public Administration from Warwick Business School and a Masters in Leadership (Quality Improvement) from Ashridge Business School. She is both a Health Foundation Sciana Fellow and Generation Q Fellow.