Specialisms
- Complex orthopaedic injuries.
- Upper limb amputations.
- Upper limb and hand injuries.
- Brachial Plexus Lesions including Erb’s Palsy.
- Loss of services in fatal accident claims.
- Associated lower limb amputations.
- Associated spinal injuries.
- Associated internal injuries.
- Associated brain injury.
- Associated pain.
- Associated cancer.
Clinical Currency Statement
As at July 2025, I am engaged in the role of Occupational Therapist independently and for Enable Therapy Services for an average of 25 hours per month.
Signed
Specific Injuries Experience
As an Occupational Therapist and Case Manager, Rachel supports adults with a range of physical disabilities. She primarily works with clients who have amputations as a result of trauma and people who have sustained complex and multiple orthopaedic injuries including hand and upper limb injuries.
Rachel is also experienced in supporting clients with spinal injuries, internal injuries, chronic pain and cancer in addition.
Rachel has often supported clients who have sustained traumatic brain injuries in conjunction with complex orthopaedic injuries. Individuals present with a variety of problems including muscle weakness, reduced range of movement, fatigue, reduced activity tolerance and cognitive changes. In many cases her clients also have associated psychological difficulties in response to the impact of the injury on their lifestyle. Rachel identifies their current and future needs and co-ordinates their rehabilitation accordingly.
Employment Profile
Rachel has worked as an independent Expert Witness since 1997 and has prepared over 500 reports for both claimants and the defence. She has extensive experience of attending case conferences, experts’ meetings and has attended court. Rachel has prepared Loss of Services reports to assist the court in determining the amount of damages payable. She has written detailed reports quantifying the past services provided by the deceased to their dependants, as well as those that they would have provided in future.
Rachel works as an independent Occupational Therapist for clients with a range of disabilities including chronic regional pain syndrome (CRPS), multiple orthopaedic injuries, hand and upper limb injuries and amputations. Rachel develops individual treatment programmes based on the client’s needs which aim to improve their functional independence. In addition, Rachel carries out Functional Capacity Evaluations in order to identify a person’s work capability, and Vocational Rehabilitation to facilitate a sustainable return to work for an individual following injury.
Rachel assesses individuals to identify any specialist equipment, or adaptations to improve their functional independence as well as providing specific treatment such as desensitisation techniques, ergonomic assessments, work site assessments, and cognitive rehabilitation.
Rachel also works as a Case Manager for people with a variety of disabilities including amputations, traumatic brain injury and complex and multiple musculoskeletal injuries. This involves assessing their needs and co-ordinating rehabilitation. It can also involve arranging and managing packages of care, liaising with other professions and agencies as appropriate and recruiting specialist services, and well as working with architects regarding adaptations.
Rachel is a Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy and is responsible for the teaching of post-graduate degrees including MSc Occupational Therapy and MSc Occupational Therapy Distance Learning.
Her university responsibilities include leading all Masters level research for occupational therapy, managing personal students and administrative duties. She is part of a research team who have been awarded a research grant from Versus Arthritis to establish the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an occupational therapy job retention intervention for people with inflammatory arthritis.
Rachel has extensive experience of working in hospital and community settings treating people with a variety of physical disabilities and complex needs. Rachel has considerable experience of assessments and care planning, development of intervention programmes to meet individual needs to restore function or improve independence, identifying equipment to improve daily living skills and providing training and advice to carers.
Rachel is a confident communicator, having considerable experience presenting at national and international conferences.
Qualifications and Membership
- PhD, University of Derby (2004).
- MSc, University of Derby (1996).
- Post-graduate certificate in professional practice (adult learning qualification), University of Derby (1996).
- Post-graduate certificate in health care research, Sheffield Hallam University (1992).
- Diploma College of Occupational Therapists, Derby School of Occupational Therapy (1988).
- British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT).
- College of Occupational Therapists – Specialist Section – Work (COT-SS-Work).
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
Career History
Present
Expert Witness
Jacqueline Webb & Co Limited
2016-present
Case Manager
Tania Brown Limited
2011-present
Specialist Occupational Therapist
Rachel O’Brien Limited
2006-present
Senior Lecturer
Sheffield Hallam University
1995-2005
Senior Lecturer
University of Derby
1991-1995
Senior I Occupational Therapist
Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield
1990-1991
Senior II Occupational Therapist
Bolsover Community Hospital, Chesterfield and Northern General Hospital, Sheffield
1988-1989
Basic Grade Occupational Therapist
City Hospital, Nottingham and Chesterfield Royal Hospital
Publications
Publications
2017 – I want to work: A vocational rehabilitation case study following a brachial plexus injury. International Journal of Therapy & Rehabilitation. http://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/10.12968/ijtr.2017.24.1.40
2015 – Regional Musculoskeletal Pain Syndromes. Module 4. http://eular.org/edu_online_course_hpr.cfm. Oesch P, Vlaeyen J, O’Brien R, McCabe C
2013 – The Development and Evaluation of a Vocational Rehabilitation Training Programme for Rheumatology Occupational Therapists. Musculoskeletal Care: O’Brien R, Woodbridge S, Hammond A, Culley J, Adkin J
2010 – Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy intervention for Fibromyalgia in Rheumatology: Evidence-based Practice for Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists: McVeigh J, O’Brien R
2008 – The De Quervain’s Screening Tool: validity and reliability of a measure to support clinical diagnosis and management. Musculoskeletal Care.6.155-167: Batteson (O’Brien) R, Hammond A, Burke F, Sinha S.
Conferences
2016 – BHPR regional conference Leeds June 29. Work Rehabilitation in Inflammatory Arthritis: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial. Invited speaker.
2015 – Health & Well Being conference, Birmingham, March 3 & 4. The Development & Evaluation of a Work Retention programme for Employed People with Inflammatory. Invited speaker.
2014 – Health & Well Being conference, Birmingham, March 4 & 5. Vocational Rehabilitation & Hip Surgery. Invited speaker.
2013 – Health and Wellbeing Conference, Birmingham. Evaluating the effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation provided by the NHS in assisting those with inflammatory arthritis to stay in work. Invited speaker.
2013 – The College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Glasgow. WORK-IA: developing a trial of work rehabilitation in inflammatory arthritis (IA). Invited speaker.
2013 – Vocational Rehabilitation Association Conference, Manchester. Development of a vocational rehabilitation training programme for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs). Invited speaker.
2008 – British Health Professionals in Rheumatology (BHPR) Conference, Liverpool. Work Rehabilitation in Work-related Neck and Upper Limb Disorders (WRULDs). Invited speaker.
Poster Presentations
2014 – EULAR Work rehabilitation in Inflammatory arthritis: A pilot randomised controlled trial. 11 – 14 June 2014.
2013 – The College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Glasgow. Development of a vocational training programme for occupational therapists.
2013 – Contributing author: The College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Glasgow. Low secure patient’s motivations to attend occupational groups.
2011 – The European League against Rheumatism (Eular) Conference, London. Modifying the work environment survey – Rheumatic conditions for use in the UK.