Elizabeth Casson OBE (14 April 1881 – 17 December 1954) was a British medical doctor and an occupational therapy pioneer.

In 1951, Casson was appointed an OBE for her work at Dorset House and was also made an honorary fellow of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

[1][2] She was the sixth child of a bank manager and amateur organ-builder, Thomas Casson, from Wales, and his wife Laura Ann.

In 1908, Casson was a working as housing manager for the social reformer, Octavia Hill, taking care of the living conditions of residents at Red Cross Hall in Southwark.

[5] Casson became a medical officer at the Holloway Sanatorium in 1921, developing an interest in occupational therapy whilst working there until 1929.

[1] She also helped set up the Standing Committee in Psychological Medicine of the Medical Women's Federation and the Gaskell club for those recipients of the prize.

[6] "When I first qualified as a doctor I decided that I would take up psychological medicine, and went to one of the best mental hospitals as a clinical assistant ... Then, one Monday morning, when I arrived at the women's wards I found the atmosphere had completely changed and realized that preparations for Christmas decorations had begun and all patients were working happily in groups ...

[10] Ciné films of these activities can be found at the Dorset House archive held by Oxford Brookes University library.

[11] At one point she even cast herself in Dorset House's drama production, playing Mr. William Collins in their 1934 rendition of Pride and Prejudice.

In 1938 Dr Casson appointed Miss Evelyn Mary Macdonald, a former student, as Principal of Dorset House School, a post she held for 33 years.

She began to release control of the projects in 1948, first by passing the school to a nonprofit company with her as vice-president and remaining as medical director.

"It is ridiculous to send all girls into offices, where they have nothing to do in their spare time but powder their noses and where their maternal instincts and ideals of social service can find no outlet'" Outside of her work, Casson was a member of Bristol societies.

[20] As the vice president of the Social Hygiene Council, she worked to ensure that the people of Bristol could give better sex education to their children, without shocking them.

[21] In 1951, Casson received an OBE for her work establishing Dorset House and was also elected a fellow of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

To mark International Women's Day in 2022, the Royal College of Psychiatrists published a blog post entitled 'Dr Elizabeth Casson, 100 years on.