Deborah was appointed interim CNO Adult Social Care in December 2020 from her post as Director of Health & Wellbeing at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Deborah has worked with older people in both health and social care throughout her career in a number of roles including clinical practice, management and research. Deborah held the position of Nurse Advisor for Older People at the Department of Health in national government for 10 years. She holds two Visiting Chair’s in Nursing at Manchester Metropolitan, and Bucks New University. She has published widely on issues relating to nursing older people and have presented as multiple national and international conferences.

In April 2015 she was appointed as the expert nurse to the Gosport Independent Panel by the Minister for Care Services on behalf of the government. She was awarded the OBE in the 2017 New Year Honours List for services to older people dementia care and nursing. She is the only nurse recipient of the British Geriatric Society Presidents Medal awarded in 2011. She also received this and the Nursing Times Inspirational Nurse Leaders award in 2015.She was made a Fellow of the Queen’s Nursing Institute in 2018 and a Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing in 2019.