She is the first nurse of black and minority ethnic (BME) origin to hold a professorial role in a Russell Group university in England.
Edward Bagley of Dudley, executed the will of Lady Barnham, granddaughter of William Shakespeare [1][5] She passed the eleven plus examination and attended King Ecgbert Technical Grammar School for Girls.
She is Co-Convener of International Collaboration for Community Health Nursing Research (ICCHNR), a charity and professional organisation.
[12] In 2019 she became a vice-president of the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association (CPHVA), a professional organisation and trade union for nurses, together with Sara Rowbotham.
[3][4] Higginbottom was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in 1998 for services to health promotion and young people.