A new Director of Public Health for St Helens has been appointed.

Ruth du Plessis will take up the role in May following the retirement of the current director, Sue Forster.

She will be tasked will leading the local authority's ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic and tackling the long-term health challenges and inequalities faced by residents.

Ruth currently works at the council as a public health consultant, a role that she has held since 2019.

She trained as a nurse and health visitor at the University of Liverpool before going on to spend several years in South Africa where she volunteered to provide palliative care to HIV and AIDs patients in a poor, rural community.

After returning to the UK, Ruth studied for a Masters in Applied Public Health and worked in several roles across the north of England before joining St Helens Borough Council.

There she has specialised in social prescribing and early help, as well as taking lead roles on sexual, workplace, children’s and mental health.

In the past year Ruth has played a leading part in the council’s response to Covid-19, overseeing contact tracing, outbreak management and targeted testing.

In a statement, Councillor David Baines, leader of St Helens Borough Council, said: “I am delighted that Ruth will be staying with us in her new capacity.

"Ruth has a significant amount of experience and has shown she has the leadership, expertise and dedication to perform such an important role.

“As the Director of Public Health, Ruth will be crucial not only in our ongoing response to Covid-19 and our recovery out of the pandemic but also to the long-term health and health inequalities of our residents.

St Helens Star: New health chief Sue Forster

Sue Forster is retiring

“I would like to thank Sue Forster for her outstanding work and her commitment to the council, especially over the last year leading our public health response to the pandemic, and wish her a well-deserved long and happy retirement.”