Deputy Medical Director awarded college’s highest accolade

Dr Rachael Liebmann, Deputy Medical Director at Queen Victoria Hospital (QVH), has been awarded the Royal College of Pathologists Medal for Distinguished Service, the highest honour the College can bestow on one of its Fellows.

Rachael is a Consultant Histopathologist at QVH, specialising in breast and skin pathology. She has been an Honorary Officer for eight years at the Royal College of Pathologists, the professional body covering all matters relating to the science and practice of pathology, which is the study of disease, its causes and progression, through analysing tissue, cell and body fluid samples.

As well as enriching histopathology at QVH, the hospital’s partnership working across the south east, and the profession more widely, being a College Honorary Officer provided Rachael with a springboard for her recent election as Vice President of the College.

Speaking about receiving the Royal College of Pathologists Medal for Distinguished Service, Rachael said: “I’m delighted to have been awarded this prestigious accolade. For me it means the work I have been doing for the College is regarded as having a lasting beneficial impact on patients and the profession”.

“My involvement with the College enables me to use my hands on, front line experience to inform the drafting of national advice and guidance, but also to ensure that QVH is informed about up-coming major changes to public policy and strategy. Having clinicians involved in top-level professional and political discussion and debate raises the profile of QVH nationally too.”

In 2015 Rachael was shortlisted for the HSJ Clinical Leader of the Year award and was identified by The Pathologist magazine Powerlist as one of the 100 most influential pathologists globally.

The Histopathology service at QVH receives 32,000 specimens per year and supports the hospital’s specialist services with timely and accurate diagnoses accredited to international standards.

Pictured: Dr Rachael Liebmann (left) presented with her medal by President of the Royal College of Pathologists, Dr Suzy Lishman

For more information please contact the QVH Press Office on 01342 414508.