Robyn obtained her BSc (Hons) degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of the Witwatersrand and obtained both her British and European certifications in Hand Therapy. Robyn worked at the prestigious Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust for 8 years where she treated orthopaedic and plastic surgery patients with traumatic and elective hand and upper limb injuries. Following on from this role, Robyn went on to pioneer the extended Scope Practitioners (ESP) role thereby enabling her to perform advanced clinical assessments, order specialist investigations such as MRI and CT scans, initiate treatment and take first line consent for surgery. Robyn returned to South Africa to establish Hand Therapy Consulting in 2011. Robyn has developed credible relationships with hand surgeons where collaborative treatment plans are developed based on her trusted advice and expert opinion. She has published numerous articles in reputable Hand Therapy journals and has presented at several international conferences. She has also co-authored the Chapter on the Therapists management of the Stiff Hand in the 7th Edition of the Rehabilitation of the Hand & Upper Extremity textbook. In 2017 Robyn established Hand Consult SA with Dr Chetan Patel, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, a collaborative service based in Johannesburg, Gauteng that provides specialist assessment, treatment & rehabilitation services addressing conditions, injuries and diseases of the hand and upper extremity. In 2019 Robyn launched the first-of-it’s kind online CMMS course that consists of over 24 hours of theoretical and practical learning to qualify hand therapists to apply the CMMS technique. Robyn’s vision is to heal stiff hands across the globe through teaching and working with hand therapists.
