Dr Rachael Liebmann

Dr Rachael Liebmann OBE graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 1991 and is a past vice President of the Royal College of Pathologists, a specialist breast pathologist at the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Rachael is Group Medical Director at The Doctors Laboratory and Health Services Laboratories and a trustee and Chair of the Grants and Awards Committee of the Royal Medical Benevolent Fund.

As well as holding many senior regional and national roles in the recent past, Dr Liebmann is vice president of the Royal College of Pathologists, has over 20 years’ experience as an NHS consultant and has been recognised by her peers as one of world’s 100 most influential pathologists. She has been shortlisted for the National Patient Safety Awards and Health Service Journal Clinical Leader of the Year and was awarded the College Medal for Distinguished Service.

Dr Liebmann led a review into Breast Cancer Reporting for the Care Quality Commission which resulted in substantial reforms to breast cancer reporting and she was part of the clinical panel for the Paterson Inquiry into criminal activity by a breast cancer surgeon in the Midlands. She led the introduction of the first national pathology Key Performance Indicators, including laboratory turnaround times.

As Vice President for Communication and International at the Royal College of Pathologists, Dr Liebmann oversaw the establishment of a Resources Hub to allow members to find guidance with relevance to their Covid-19 testing work and contributed to planning the Covid-themed International Pathology Day.

When the London Nightingale Field Hospital Medical Director contacted Dr Liebmann for help she did not hesitate to plan and set up the service. She recruited the medical students who staffed the laboratory reception 24/7. Throughout the hospital’s life she co-ordinated and provided mentorship and advocacy for these volunteers.

Dr Liebmann was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2020 in recognition of her services to pathology.