A Clear Voice

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In this episode, Natalie chats with the current President and Immediate President of the BLA,  Guri Sandhu and Mark Watson.

Mark Watson FRCS has worked in Doncaster and Bassetlaw since 1992 where he has held a number of leadership posts. He has served as a regional and national representative and lead for many regional and national ENT and head and neck groups and committees. Under his leadership, the BLA has fostered innovation and connectivity, with the development of the BLA Connect app for the 2019 conference which has evolved into a free resource, and the launch of this podcast. Mark shares his most memorable times as President of the association, including the success of the 2019 BLA Connect conference in the face of multiple adversities. And of course, most notably leading the BLA through the Covid-19 pandemic, taking the lead in producing guidelines for its members, in particular, the 2020 BLA Tracheostomy Guideline, updated for the second wave of Covid-19. 

Guri Sandhu is a founding member of the BLA and current President of the Laryngology & Rhinology section at the RSM. He is a Consultant Otolaryngologist and Head & Neck Surgeon at Imperial College and The Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospitals in London, as well as an Honorary Senior Lecturer at Imperial College and University College London. He is a pioneering laryngologist with a special interest in laryngotracheal stenosis. In 2016 he received the Isshiki award for his outstanding contribution to laryngology. Guri tells us what he hopes to achieve in his presidency, with the key aim of raising the profile of laryngology and firmly establishing it as a discipline in UK ENT, as well as fostering collaboration with other associations and giving a platform to the rising stars in UK laryngology. 

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

“Our best times are when a patient comes to us and says ‘for a bit, I forgot I had dystonia’, and then we really know we’ve got it right.”

In this episode we speak with two phenomenal neurolaryngology duos and explore their decades of experience working together to improve patients' lives.

Marie-Hélène Marion is a neurologist with over 30 years' experience working in France and the UK, specialising in movement development. Since 2007 she has worked at St. Georges Hospital in London with laryngologist Lucy Hicklin. In their clinic they mainly treat patients with cranio cervical dystonia and have developed a small specialty in anterocollis. From a laryngologist's point of view, Lucy also discusses the advantages of neurolaryngology MDTs in early diagnosis of conditions such as Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy (MSA).

Our second dynamic duo comprises Miles Humberstone, a neurologist in Nottingham and previous BLA Council member, laryngologist and head and neck surgeon, Julian McGlashan. They discuss how their clinic is uniquely positioned to help patients with complex diagnoses and treatment approaches, and explain how the MDT approach is invaluable in managing these patients.

Our panelists' also share their top tips for setting up a neurolaryngology clinic.

All interviewees today are members of the British Neurotoxin Network Chaired by Dr Marion. Find out more about the BNN, including workshops and their annual Autumn meeting, on their website: www.neurotoxinnetwork.org 

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

We are now in our third series of  BLA Connections – A Clear Voice and series 3.  It is a full year since we launched this podcast on behalf of the BLA. 
 
It has been a difficult and challenging 12 months, to say the least. The initial desire to create this podcast series was to bridge the gap of the lack of face to face meetings and provide support and guidance and much-needed information. 

We released Episode 1 featuring Prof Martin Birchall giving his account of COVID-19 so far and the podcast listening figures soared and reached our colleagues in the UK and 65 countries worldwide, further cementing the need to share information. 

We have an exciting 3rd series for you. we are delighted to reveal that we plan to get more MDT and allied health professionals involvement and patient experiences, in addition to hearing how we can look after ourselves in our wellbeing podcast.

We would like to thank all of our guests past and present and thank you, our listeners. We hope you continue to enjoy BLA Connections: A Clear Voice.

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org or download BLA Connect from your app store for further information and details on becoming a BLA member.

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA, you can follow us on  Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd  

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

In this epsiode, Dr Amanda Richards joins Natalie Watson to discuss dealing with COVID-19 in the Southern Hemisphere and how a public hospital system can make up for lost time when it is already stretched, and what impact has this disruption had on patients well being?

In this episode:

1:44 Q1. What has been your experience of COVID 19 in your centre?

3:51 Q2. Have you been able to re-start services in  Melbourne and beyond?

6:13 Q3. What have been some of the challenges to re-starting and have you been able to put any systems in place to overcome these?

8:46 Q4. What are you planning for the next steps? Do you feel COVID19 will have a lasting impact on laryngology?

10:13 Q5. What type of Covid-19 consequences have you seen in your laryngology clinic ITU submission, post-COVID and for patients suffering from long COVID? 

11:15  Take home message 

Guest Bio:  Dr Amanda Richards

Dr Amanda Richards is an Otolaryngologist, Head and Neck Surgeon from Melbourne. Amanda graduated from her specialty OHNS training in 2012 and has fellowship training in Laryngology from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (New York, USA) and Head and Neck Cancer Surgery from St George's NHS Trust (London, UK).

Amanda is the lead clinician at The Royal Melbourne Hospital Voice Clinic along with her multidiscipline practice in Voice, Swallow and Upper Airway at Pinnacle Surgery. She is a clinical researcher and supervisor and has been awarded The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons D.R Leslie prize along with the New York Laryngological Society Fellows Award. Amanda's areas of interest include care of the professional voice, laryngeal cancer, neurolaryngology, laser surgery and office-based procedures.

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

In this episode, we welcome back Prof Martin Birchall as he reflects, comments and shares his insights on COVID-19 six months on, the impact on individuals and laryngology as a whole, as well as the future of laryngology post-COVID using new technologies.

In this episode:

1:43 Q1. Reflecting back on our previous episode, is there anything you would like to expand, comment or reflect on?

3:04 Q2.  How have things changed at UCLH for you? 

5:38 Q3. There are a couple of areas ENT focussed on, such as cancer and emergency operations, would you like to say a little about that? 

7:10 Q4. How do you think the COVID pandemic will impact on laryngology and the patients we treat?

12:29 Q5. How do you think that new technologies are shaping the future of laryngology post-COVID?

17:53 Take home message.

Guest Bio:  Prof. Martin Birchall 

Prof Birchall is one of the leading academic Otolaryngologists in the world, one of the leading academic surgeons in Europe and an international figure in the field of translational regenerative medicine. His work is dedicated to the successful translation of innovative technologies, especially in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, with a focus on alleviating suffering and improving the quality of life for those with disorders of the head and neck, voice and swallowing. He aims to achieve these goals through forming partnerships with the very best scientists and surgeons in the appropriate fields. These multidisciplinary teams focus on clear therapeutic targets.

He has supervised 9 PhD and 5 MD students, raised over £4 million in peer-reviewed grant money, including from MRC, NIH and the Wellcome Trust (nearly £2 million held presently) and has published 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers plus numerous reviews and reports. He is Director of UCL Partners ENT Programme and was named Morgan Stanley Briton of the Year in 2008.

He is also a founding member of the BLA past president.

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

Welcome to episode 4. of 'A Clear Voice'. In this episode, we are taking a break in discussing the issues surrounding COVID-19 as  Chadwan Al Yaghchi discusses 'The management of transgender voice.' 

In this episode:

1:42 Q1. What got you interested in transgender voice?

2:40 Q2.  How do you approach the management? 

5:47 Q3.  It certainly requires an MDT approach. Once the decision has been agreed upon for surgery can you take us through the surgical technique you employ?

8:07 Q4. What are the post-op recommendations and how successful do you find the treatment package?

12:05 Take home message.

Guest Bio:  Chadwan Al Yaghchi

Mr Chadwan Al Yaghchi is a consultant otolaryngologist at the National Centre for Airway Reconstruction and Imperial Voice and Swallowing Centre. He completed his higher surgical training in Ear Nose and Throat in London North Thames regional rotation. During his training, he developed an interest invoice, airway stenosis and dysphagia.  In addition to his adult service, he is an honorary consultant at The Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust where he manages children with complex airway, respiratory and swallowing conditions.

Mr Al Yaghchi holds a PhD in Molecular Oncology from the Queen Mary’s University of London with a special research interest in oncolytic viruses in head and neck cancers. In addition, he has an active clinical research program in voice, airway and swallowing disorders.

Mr Al Yaghchi is a founding member of the British Laryngological Association and served on the council since 2013. He is currently the associate honorary treasurer.

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

Welcome to episode 3. In early March 2020 ENT surgeon Nick Gibbins contracted COVID-19. Here he discusses his personal journey with Natalie Watson from the moments he realised he had the virus, to his recovery and how this experience has impacted his practice.

In this episode:

2:00 Q1. Early on in the COVID 19 pandemic, you contracted the infection. Can you talk us through your experience?

12:43 Q2. How has the journey from surgeon to patient changed your outlook on the COVID 19 infection, and it's effect on our society?

19:04 Q3. Have you changed your practice because you have had the infection or changed anything about your interaction with patients having experienced COVID 19?

25:12  Take home message

Guest Bio: Mr Nicholas Gibbins,  ENT and Voice Consultant 

Nick Gibbins is a Consultant Otolaryngologist and Voice Surgeon at University Hospital Lewisham. He graduated from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, London in 1998 and was awarded the Registrar’s Gold Medal for research by the ENT Masterclass in 2011. His ENT training ran through London and the South East, and included paediatric ENT and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children.

He is a laryngologist and has a specialist interest in the diagnosis and treatment of Voice Disorders, the management of the professional voice, and the biomechanics of the body that can affect both voice and swallow.

He has published articles and written text-book chapters regarding the management of voice disorders. He teaches, trains and examines both under- and postgraduate medics and has appeared on BBC Radio 3 discussing the voice. His passions include the evolution of the larynx, ensuring professional voice users know how to manage their voice, and what to do when it goes wrong.

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

Natalie Watson is joined by Sadie Khwaja, Joanne Favilli and Paul McKenna of the Machester Voice Clinic to discuss their experience during the pandemic and the need to pivot to virtual clinics.  

Manchester Voice Clinic Team  Bio's

Sadie  Khwaja  - Consultant Laryngologist based in Manchester, serving the Great Manchester area and tertiary referrals from outside the region.  Practising Laryngology for over 8 years.  

The Manchester voice team treat all benign and premalignant laryngeal pathology from diagnosis to treatment whether that be dedicated disease-specific therapy, LA office procedures, Botox clinics to tubeless micro laryngeal surgery. Running dedicated dysphagia clinics with a TNO dilatation/laser service and a biopsy service along with her head and neck colleagues and is a member of a complex adult airway MDT.  

Joanne Favilli -  Consultant Speech & Language Therapist specialising in Clinical Voice Disorders at Wythenshawe Hospital in South Manchester. She is the SLT lead in weekly Joint Voice Clinics, Voice Therapy Clinics and fortnightly Local Anaesthetic Injection Thyroplasty Clinics. Joanne is responsible for education, research and development opportunities within the voice service. She is also a Visiting Clinical Lecturer in Voice Disorders at the University of Manchester 

Paul McKenna - Specialist Speech and Language Therapist working in Clinical Voice Disorders and Singing Voice Rehabilitation at Wythenshawe Hospital (NHS) in South Manchester. Paul works alongside Sue M Jones in weekly professional voice users clinics, where high-level voice users are assessed endoscopically and then rehabilitated via highly individualised voice therapy. 

Alongside working primarily in the therapeutic rehabilitation of performers with complex voice impairments, Paul is a certified NLP practitioner and has a background in Hypnotherapy, skills which have led to a significant interest in the psychological factors impacting on vocal performance. Paul aims to continue developing in these fields over the coming years in the aim to provide insights that can further assist performers in the mastery of their voice use.

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

Sam Majumdar joins Natalie Watson to discuss training and leadership and the impact, disruption and opportunity COVID-19 has caused and presented over the last seven months.

In this episode:

2:22 Q1. How do you think COVID has affected training in your area?

11:15 Q2. You run a number of courses, how do you feel courses have been affected by COVID and how can we reintroduce courses or develop them to cater for the new rules around COVID?

15:34 Q3. With your background in working towards a doctorate in leadership and management can you explore the impact of studying the clinical microsystem and system organisational management in ENT on your work. How has COVID impacted this?

21:19 Q4. Due to COVID we have been asked to distance ourselves and remote working is favoured, therefore communication and interaction between colleagues have been limited over the past six months, have you found that?

23:53 Summary and the take-home message 

Guest Bio
Sam Majumdar is a founding member of the British Laryngology Association and served on the council since 2013. He is a full-time consultant surgeon and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Dundee Medical School and Ninewells Hospital NHS Scotland. He is the lead clinician for Laryngology & voice, swallowing disorders (Transnasal Oesophagoscopy/Endoscopy) and difficult airway service at this centre, which he had developed.

He is passionate about teaching and training and is the innovator and co-director of the highly acclaimed Advanced Laryngeal & Pharyngeal laser & endoscopic Surgery course at the Dundee Healthcare Simulation Centre. For course information click here 

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Send it here

Welcome to our final episode of series one of BLA Connections: A Clear Voice Dr. Paul Bryson chats with Natalie Watson to give his perspective from the U.S. from March 2020 to the 15th of June when we recorded this episode. 

Update: Since the time of recording, the USA has witnessed an increase in Covid-19 infection cases with several states experiencing a surge, Dr. Bryson would like to add "Sadly, the impact on otolaryngology services and health care works and the public in general, personal protective equipment, and the overall public health response in other regions of the United States continues to play out and evolve."

In this episode: 

2:30 Dr. Bryson's brief overview of his experiences in Cleveland, Ohio. 

6:26 Q1.  What's your experience with re-starting surgical services?

10:05 Q2.  What have been some of the challenges to re-starting?

14:44 Q3. What are you planning for the next steps and what are the lasting impacts of COVID-19 to Laryngology?

24:27 Take-home messages for our listeners

Links to relevant documents 

Society for Ambulatory Anesthesia (SAMBA) Statement on Resuming Ambulatory Anesthesia Care as Our Nation Recovers from COVID-19 (4/18/2020)

Procedural sedation in the COVID-19 era 

Contact Information
Visit www.britishlaryngological.org and our podcast library.

Cutting Edge Laryngology 2026 registration is now open: Register here

Email: [email protected] for any questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the BLA; you can follow us on  X, Linkedin and Instagram hosted by Natalie Watson @surgeonsinger, produced  and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer. 

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The BLA does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. 
If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.