Deborah qualified as a Registered General Nurse from University College Hospital, London in January 1988, going on to work in London, Oxford, Chester, North Wales and The Wirral. She has worked in healthcare across a range of setting from the community to tertiary and from child to adult services including General Surgical, General Medical, Accident and Emergency, Intensive Care, District Nursing, Community Child Health and School Nursing Service.

Deborah completed the English National Board General Intensive Care Nursing qualification (ENB100) at the John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford, where she worked for six years developing to the position of Sister.

Deborah first developed her interest in nurse education by achieving the English National Board Teaching and Assessment qualification (ENB998). She was then employed as the first Clinical Skills Facilitator in what was considered a pioneering role supervising student nurses on the Project 2000 nursing course to link the theory of nursing into clinical practice.

Deborah studied Integrated Children and Young People’s Practice at Edge Hill and achieved First Class Honours in 2012 and the Vice Chancellors Award. In 2017 Deborah established Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Deborah studied MSc Integrated Practice in Children and Young people obtaining Distinction in 2018. In 2020 Deborah received a Learning and Teaching Fellowship Award at Edge Hill University.

Deborah has joined Edge Hill in 2014 as a Lecturer in Nursing obtaining Senior Lecturer in 2018 with a particular interest in Child Wellbeing, Safeguarding Children and Child Protection.