Specialisms
- Hand and upper limb specialist, including complex hand injuries.
- Brachial Plexus Lesions including Erb’s Palsy.
- Upper limb amputations.
- Soft tissue injuries including extensive scarring.
- Nerve damage.
- Burns.
- Joint replacements.
- Associated complex poly-trauma orthopaedic injuries including spinal fractures.
- Associated pain (including neuropathic pain and Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome) and fatigue.
- Associated psychological issues and cognitive impairment.
- Associated complicating medical conditions and chronic illnesses (including respiratory and diabetes).
Clinical Currency Statement
As at May 2026, I am engaged in the role of Associate OT/Hand Therapist for Enable Therapy Services and work as an independent/freelance Occupational Therapist for other case management companies for an average of 120 hours per month.
Signed
Specific Injuries Experience
Karen is a highly experienced Hand and Upper Limb Specialist Occupational Therapist with extensive expertise in the assessment and rehabilitation of complex upper limb and hand injuries. She regularly works with individuals who have sustained poly-trauma or multiple traumatic injuries, including complex orthopaedic injuries, soft tissue damage, burns, amputations, spinal and back injuries, rib fractures, pneumothorax/collapsed lung injuries, abdominal trauma and lacerations, as well as peripheral nerve injuries. Her clinical practice encompasses both traumatic and elective surgical presentations across clients of all ages.
Karen provides specialist hand therapy and occupational therapy for a broad range of upper extremity conditions, complex trauma presentations, and disease processes. She has significant experience supporting individuals following orthopaedic surgery, joint replacement procedures, and in the management of degenerative joint conditions such as arthritis, where pain, weakness, reduced mobility, and loss of functional independence are common.
Her caseload is predominantly community-based, where she undertakes comprehensive occupational therapy assessments and delivers ongoing rehabilitation, treatment planning, equipment provision, and functional support tailored to each client’s needs. Karen is skilled in managing clients with complex presentations that frequently include chronic pain syndromes, psychological trauma, internal injuries, diabetes, and other systemic health conditions that impact rehabilitation and recovery.
Karen is responsible for co-ordinating and managing clients’ long-term functional rehabilitation needs, providing evidence-based occupational therapy assessment, treatment, recommendations, and support to maximise independence, participation, and quality of life.
Employment Profile
Karen has been an Independent Expert Witness since 2006 and has extensive experience of pre-trial conferences, experts’ meetings and giving evidence in Court.
She established her own Occupational Therapy private practice in 2005 with referrals from rehabilitation companies, case managers and private clients. Karen also works as an associate Occupational Therapist/Hand Therapist with an independent case management company.
She has worked in a broad range of physical disability settings in the USA and UK, including acute trauma hospitals and community rehabilitation. Karen has acquired considerable experience in the assessment, treatment and care planning of a wide variety of disabilities/diagnoses as detailed above.
Her NHS experience in the UK includes holding the posts of musculoskeletal clinical specialist, as well as manager of an occupational therapy department in an NHS Foundation Trust teaching hospital in central London. Karen has worked as a hand therapist in the UK private sector at Senior I level.
She has considerable experience in case management and the rehabilitation of individuals following serious injuries. Karen is a confident communicator with lecturing experience. Her clinical special interest and expertise is in hand and other upper extremity injuries and polytrauma.
Qualifications and Membership
- BSc (OT), Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA (1989).
- BSc (Psychology), Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, Nebraska, USA (1987).
- American Hand Therapy Certification (CHT), Hand Therapy Certification Commission (HTCC) (1998).
- British Association Occupational Therapists (BAOT).
- Member of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT).
- The Case Management Society UK (CMSUK).
- Royal College Occupational Therapists – Specialist Section – Independent Practice (RCOTSS-IP).
Presentations
- Speaker for Unite Professionals and Proactive Prosthetics Partial Hand Amputations Study Day – Hand Therapy Perspective, March 2026.
- Speaker for Unite Professionals Annual Conference – The Role of the Care Expert in Litigation, May 2026.
Career History
Present
Care Expert Witness
Jacqueline Webb & Co Limited
2015-Present
Associate Occupational Therapist
Enable Therapy Services
2005-Present
Independent Occupational Therapist
Karen Campbell Consulting
2013-2015
Bank Hand Therapist
Circle Partnership, Reading
2007 and 2011-2013
Bank Hand Therapist
The Hand Clinic, Windsor
2006-2010
Independent Occupational Therapist/Case Manager
Independence Works
2005-2006
Bank Hand Therapist
Hand Therapy Specialists, London
2002-2005
OT Musculoskeletal Team Leader and OT Department Interim Manager
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London
2002
Bank Hand Therapist
The Wellington Hospital, London
1994-2002
Occupational Therapist – Hand therapy/outpatient and community positions
San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, California, USA
1989-1993
Occupational Therapist – rotational and locum roles
Various locations in the USA
Publications
Publications and lecturing
- Guest lecturer in hand kinesiology – OT Programme, Dominican University of California (1999).
- Lecture on ‘Avoidance of Upper Extremity Injuries’ – local Radiographers Special Interest Group, San Francisco (1999).