January: Spotlight On An Expert - Leanne Hunt

I fell into Occupational Therapy when I was at college. I had been working around my studies as a respite carer for children with learning disabilities and someone suggested I’d make a great OT! I explored it and decided to apply to study it at University.

I completed rotations as a new graduate in an acute physical health Trust across acute medicine and neurology. Then I landed a more senior job, and my first rotation was in orthopaedics and surgery - I panicked as I had never worked in this field! I soon came to love it and decided to specialise in this area and moved to a major trauma centre in London to do so.

Working in a major trauma hospital was a fantastic opportunity and enabled me to gain experience with a wide variety of complex conditions. This varied from major trauma, orthopaedics, vascular and surgical complications, to plastics and hand therapy. I felt that I could use my whole skill set across mental and physical health to support and rehabilitate patients going through major trauma.

Shortly after, I joined the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Orthopaedic Specialist Section Committee. I was elected as the South East of England representative, and led on co-ordinating training events, supporting the running of a yearly conference and reviewing guidelines. I then moved to be the newsletter editor, which involved sourcing recent research and projects to share with our UK network.

I took a break from the specialist section whilst I had my children and moved to work leading an elective orthopaedic unit for a large Trust. A few years later I was back as Treasurer and then Chair of the recently formed RCOT specialist section for Trauma and Musculoskeletal Health. It was so incredible to network and work alongside some outstanding clinicians across the UK – I would recommend it to anyone!

Whilst I was chair, we hosted a joint webinar with the work specialist section on being an expert witness. Jess had me instantly hooked – it was something someone had pitched to me back when I first joined the specialist section, but it hadn’t been the right time… now it was, and so I applied to Somek & Associates. I’ve been kept busy ever since and have stepped back from my volunteer role at RCOT and reduced my NHS hours to accommodate this.

I now work part time as Head of an OT department in an acute Trust, combined with being an expert witness. I love clinical work, and still find time to work alongside my team of clinicians across all fields in our hospital from medicine to intensive care and, of course, orthopaedics and surgery. Being an expert witness has been challenging but very rewarding. The team at Somek are amazing and they’re always there if you need them.

In my spare time, I am usually running around after my two children who are 9 and 7. When I can, I love to escape to my garden.

Author: Leanne Hunt, Occupational Therapy Expert Witness

To find out more about occupational therapy expert witness work, click here.