Debra has been Professor of Midwifery at KCL since 2008 and visiting professor at the University of Sao Paulo and Bournemouth University. She has published over 90 papers, including several systematic reviews, edited four books and is Editor in Chief of Midwifery. 

Recently completed studies include a systems and process approach to improve women’s experiences of inpatient postnatal care, a trial to improve clinical management of birth related perineal trauma, co-investigator on a trial of opioid analgesia for labour pain relief and a study to develop an e-learning programme to improve clinical skills in birth related perineal management.  Ongoing collaborative studies include a trial to compare upright with supine positions for birth among women with epidural analgesia, optimising identification, referral and use of NHS services by people trafficked in the UK, the efficient use of the maternity workforce, the clinical and cost effectiveness of perinatal mental health services and use of obstetric early warning scores to prevent severe maternal morbidity. 

Systematic reviews include use of structured training programmes for clinical staff to support breastfeeding, interventions to prevent maternal post-traumatic stress disorder, the role of demand side financing in developing countries to improve maternal health and use of multi-disciplinary teams to improve maternal and fetal outcomes among pregnant women with severe medical conditions.

She was midwife advisor to the UK Maternal and Newborn Clinical Review Expert Panel, midwife member of the Children and Young Persons Health Outcomes Forum, and Chair of the NICE Topic Expert Group for postnatal care.  She is a committee member of HealthWatch, a charity which works to promote evidence based healthcare.