Specialisms
- Complex orthopaedic injuries including multiple fractures.
- Spinal injury.
- Upper limb injuries including amputation.
- Cauda Equina.
- Chronic pain.
- Internal injuries.
- Learning disabilities.
- Hearing loss.
- Cancer.
Other experience includes:
- Loss of services in fatal accident claims.
Clinical Currency Statement
As at June 2020, I am engaged in the role of Case Manager for Tania Brown for an average of 48 hours per month.
Signed
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 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. Rachel’s specialist interests include vocational rehabilitation, work related musculoskeletal disorders and physical dysfunction. She has been part of a research team who were awarded a research grant from Arthritis Research UK to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an occupational therapy job retention intervention for people with inflammatory arthritis.
Rachel carries out Functional Capacity Evaluations and Vocational Rehabilitation. These assessments can be undertaken following injury, illness or accident, and can be used within personal injury litigation and also to assess percentage total disability for insurance purposes.
Rachel also works as a case manager for people with complex musculoskeletal injuries. This involves assessing their needs and co-ordinating a package of care, liaising with other professions and agencies as appropriate and recruiting specialist services dependent on the client’s needs.
She 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
- Diploma College of Occupational Therapists, (DipCOT) University of Derby (1988).
- Post-graduate certificate in health care research, Sheffield Hallam University (1992).
- Post-graduate certificate in professional practice (adult learning qualification), University of Derby (1996).
- MSc, University of Derby (1996).
- PhD, University of Derby (2004).
- British Association Occupational Therapists (BAOT).
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- College of Occupational Therapists – Specialist Section – Work (RCOTSS-H).
- British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT).
Career History
Present
Care Expert
Jacqueline Webb & Co Ltd
2016-Present
Case Manager
Tania Brown
2011-Present
Specialist Occupational Therapist
Rachel O’Brien Ltd
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
Rachel has spoken at seven conferenceS, presented on four occasions and has five publications.
Conferences:
- BHPR regional conference Leeds June 29. Work Rehabilitation in Inflammatory Arthritis: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial (2016).
- Health & Well Being conference, Birmingham, March 3 & 4. The Development & Evaluation of a Work Retention programme for Employed People with Inflammatory (2015).
- Health & Well Being conference, Birmingham, March 4 & 5. Vocational Rehabilitation & Hip Surgery (2014).
- 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 (2013).
- The College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Glasgow. WORK-IA: developing a trial of work rehabilitation in inflammatory arthritis (IA)(2013).
- Vocational Rehabilitation Association Conference, Manchester. Development of a vocational rehabilitation training programme for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs)(2013).
- British Health Professionals in Rheumatology (BHPR) Conference, Liverpool. Work Rehabilitation in Work-related Neck and Upper Limb Disorders (WRULDs)(2008).
Presentations:
- EULAR Work rehabilitation in Inflammatory arthritis: A pilot randomised controlled trial. (2014).
- The Royal College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Glasgow. Development of a vocational training programme for occupational therapists (2013).
- Contributing author: The Royal College of Occupational Therapists Annual Conference, Glasgow. Low secure patient’s motivations to attend occupational groups (2013).
- The European League against Rheumatism (Eular) Conference, London. Modifying the work environment survey – Rheumatic conditions for use in the UK (2013).
Publications:
- I want to work: A vocational rehabilitation case study following a brachial plexus injury. International Journal of Therapy & Rehabilitiation (2017) – Link here.
- 2015- Regional Musculoskeletal Pain Syndromes. Module 4 Oesch P, Vlaeyen J, O’Brien R, McCabe C. Link here.
- The Development and Evaluation of a Vocational Rehabilitation Training Programme for Rheumatology Occupational Therapists. Musculoskeletal Care (2013). O’Brien R, Woodbridge S, Hammond A, Culley J, Adkin J.
- Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy intervention for Fibromyalgia in Rheumatology: Evidence-based Practice for Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists (2010). McVeigh J, O’Brien R.
- The De Quervain’s Screening Tool: validity and reliability of a measure to support clinical diagnosis and management. Musculoskeletal Care.6.155-167 (2008). Batteson (O’Brien) R, Hammond A, Burke F, Sinha S.