Simon Lloyd, Otology Section President, Royal Society of Medicine
Professor of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, University of Manchester
Consultant Otologist, Skull Base Surgeon and Auditory Implant Surgeon, Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust
I am very excited and honoured to be taking over from Patrick Axon as otology section president in November. His year, ably supported by his secretary, Neil Donnelly, was first-class and is a hard act to follow but, my secretary, Simon Freeman, and I look forward to what we hope will be a fascinating and stimulating year. As before, we have combined our programme with the Rhinology and Laryngology section and it has been a pleasure to work with Professor Vin Paleri, my Rhinology and Laryngology counterpart.
The 2025–2026 Otology Programme
Friday 7 November
We focus on the important topic of optimising outcomes in older adults. We will discuss some of the unique challenges in this group including treatment of skull base osteomyelitis and cholesteatoma. The finale will be a fascinating presentation on otology in antiquity by leading ENT historian Professor Albert Mudry. My presidential address will discuss the influences on my career and Manchester’s contribution to otology.
Friday 5 December
Focusing on technology in ENT we have presentations from leading experts on exoscopic surgery, 3D printing, artificial intelligence and objective testing of cochlear neural health. We also showcase some of the current research projects in UK otology and conclude with a talk from the Chief Executive of Manchester United football club on living with autoimmune ear disease in a high-performance environment.
Friday 6 February
Highlighting ENT in the four nations, this meeting includes presentations from leading clinicians across the UK on outpatient tympanoplasty, retraction pockets and challenging cases in otosclerosis. We have two high-profile speakers with Professor Tom Rowland, from New York, giving insights into novel cochlear implantation techniques and president of the RCS(Eng), Tim Mitchell, reflecting on lifelong learning.
Friday 6 March
We celebrate our trainees. Past fellows will talk about their experiences since becoming consultants including developing paediatric cochlear implantation in Mexico, dealing with the challenges of congenital cholesteatomas and managing common ear canal pathology. Leading academic otologist, Professor Konstantina Stankovic from Stanford, concludes by discussing the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss. There will also be a workshop for trainees over lunch.
The theme of celebrating our trainees also cross-cuts the year with their involvement as session co-chairs, presenters in the roundtable discussions and the free paper sessions. We also discuss how to prepare yourself for consultant life and debate how to deliver subspecialty training.
Friday 1 May
Emphasising the importance of multidisciplinary teams, we have leading experts in complex otology providing their insights into NF2-related schwannomatosis, head and neck paraganglioma, auditory implantation and aural atresia. Prof Stefan Plontke from Halle, Germany, our visiting professor, is an international expert in cochlear pathophysiology and intratympanic therapy and will speak on how to optimise outcomes following sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
The week after the May meeting, Professor Plontke, Simon Freeman and myself will join Professor Paleri and his visiting professor on a UK lecture tour at the Midlands Institute of Otology and the Scottish and Irish national meetings.
Professor Vin Paleri, Laryngology and Rhinology Section
Consultant Head & Neck Surgeon | The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Professor of Head & Neck Surgery | The Institute of Cancer Research
I am delighted to take over as President of the Laryngology and Rhinology Sectionof the Royal Society of Medicine for 2025–26. Miss Michelle Wyatt, Consultant Paediatric Otolaryngologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital and Past President of the section, has delivered an outstanding programme over the past year, and I look forward to building on her success. It remains a rewarding challenge to ensure that every aspect of non-otological ENT practice is well represented. Professor Simon Lloyd, President of the Otology Section, and I have aligned our programmes to share common cross-cutting themes across each of the five meeting days.
Artificial intelligence has been a dominant topic in both the lay press and in scientific literature, with its potential impact on every aspect of modern life – including healthcare –frequently discussed. Accordingly, the Laryngology and Rhinology Section sessions throughout the year will each feature a guest lecture on this important theme. I have also chosen to extend the conversation beyond healthcare, exploring how AI shapes broader societal issues such as trustworthiness, geopolitics and the future of human sovereignty – topics that will be addressed by leading experts in the field.
The 2025–2026 Laryngology and Rhinology Programme
Friday 7 November: Optimising outcomes in the older adult
By 2050, 25% of the UK population will be 65 years or older. The number of people over 85 is increasing even faster; at around 1.6 million in 2021, this number will reach around 2.6 million by 2036. The aging population increases societal disease burden. Treating the aging population requires a concerted multidisciplinary approach to improve outcomes, which this session will deliver. Miss Wyatt will lead this day on my behalf. We will also have the Semon lecture delivered by Professor Peter John Wormald from Adelaide.
Friday 5 December: Technology in ENT
The rapidity of technological advancement in the last couple of decades has been nothing short of impressive. The session, while paying obeisance to some of the technology in clinical use, will future-gaze on what is to come, and those technologies which are likely to be translated into use by the trainees in the audience.
The session will have a global expert from the Alan Turing institute deliver a talk on trustworthy AI.
We will finish the session with an inspiring talk by one amongst us who has run the toughest race in world, attempted by 0.0004% of the global population!
Friday 6 February: ENT in the four nations
Professor Lloyd and I recognise the wealth of expertise that exists within and across the four nations, and we were keen to draw on this by inviting speakers who could share insights from a range of clinical and organisational settings. The Laryngology and Rhinology Section is privileged to present to its audience the best of practice from across the four nations — exploring common ground, celebrating differences and encouraging the exchange of ideas. Topics will include delivering specialised care in rural settings, collaborating with industry to develop multidisciplinary services within the NHS framework and harnessing the power of big data. Our guest speaker on AI will address the far-reaching impact of artificial intelligence on geopolitics and human sovereignty.
Friday 6 March: Celebrating our trainees
We have invited fellows and outstanding trainees to talk about their achievements. We will have ‘showcase talks’, panel discussions, and ‘lightning rounds’. To keep it topical, I am yet to decide on the contributors. Suffice to say that this session will be popular with the trainees. Like the other sessions, there will be a talk on AI by an expert.
Friday 1 May: Multidisciplinary teams
Focusing on the role of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) in decision-making and clinical management, this day will highlight MDTs in action across different areas of practice. Panel discussions will explore the practicalities of building and sustaining effective MDTs, present complex cases where management strategies evolved following MDT input and candidly address some of the challenges these teams face.
May also marks the visit of the RSM Visiting Professor, who will not only contribute to this meeting but also embark on a UK tour, delivering lectures at the Midlands Institute of Otology as well as the Scottish and Irish society meetings. This year’s Visiting Professor, Professor Deepa Nair from Tata Memorial Hospital in India, is an outstanding clinician and researcher whose impressive practice spans both head and neck and skull base surgery. She has an extensive research portfolio and is widely published, with several high-impact papers that have influenced clinical practice
