 She was also Chair of the Northern Ireland General Health Services Board from 1948 to 1949.She served as Minister of Health and Local Government from 26 August 1949 to 13 March 1957 and became a member of the Privy Council of Northern Ireland in 1949.She was elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1949 Birthday honours "for public services", having previously been awarded the OBE, and was advanced to be a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in 1957.