The Professional Advisers' Committee (PAC)'s objects are to:

• to vet the medical and scientific content of Quiet, and of all BTA literature­
• to advise on all medical and scientific areas that involve tinnitus
• to advise on the medical and scientific merits and demerits of supporting or endorsing, or not supporting or not endorsing specific areas of tinnitus research
• to assist in the formulation of research strategy and in the policy and procedures for dealing with applications for research funding

PAC members come from around the UK and are all eminent tinnitus professionals who have a keen interest in helping tinnitus patients.

Dr Veronica Kennedy FRCS(Oto) - PAC Chair

Veronica Kennedy is a Consultant Audiovestibular Physician in Bolton. She initially trained in ENT surgery. In 1999 she moved into Audiovestibular Medicine, which is a field devoted to the diagnosis and rehabilitation of hearing and balance disorders. Her training in this field included paediatric audiological medicine clinics in Manchester and, at the Welsh Hearing Institute in Cardiff, adult and adolescent tinnitus, audiological rehabilitation, and balance clinics. Her experience in tinnitus clinics continued while working as a locum consultant at Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in London for 2½ years before being appointed to her current post. She has been the lead investigator on a number of international tinnitus studies as well as lectured on tinnitus in children and adults.

Derek Hoare PhD - PAC Vice Chair

Derek obtained a first degree in Neuroscience at The University of Manchester in 2004, where he continued his studies to gain a Masters of Research in Behavioural Neurobiology, and a PhD in Neuroscience in 2008. His PhD focused on mechanisms of neuronal coding and plasticity in the olfactory system, and how changes in neural responses alter olfactory perception. His main research interest continues to be the mechanisms of sensory reception and perception and how both can be altered by experience. Derek is currently a research fellow at the NIHR National Biomedical Research Unit in Hearing in Nottingham where he co-ordinates a dedicated programme of tinnitus research. This work involves the development and evaluation of novel sound-based interventions for the management of tinnitus. He is also involved in the evaluation of clinical practice and approaches to tinnitus management used within the NHS. Derek is the author and co-author of a number of academic papers in sensory neuroscience and tinnitus management.

David Baguley PhD, MBA

David Baguley is the Consultant Clinical Scientist, Head of Audiology, at Addenbrooke Hospital, Cambridge. He trained in Audiology at the University of Manchester, and has been working in Cambridge since 1985, in which year he set up the Tinnitus Clinic. He has been extensively involved in clinical research, and has contributed to many peer reviewed scientific papers. David is the past Chair of the European Tinnitus Course and is a co-author of the book Tinnitus : a multidisciplinary approach (Whurr Publishers). He recently completed a Cambridge Doctoral thesis on tinnitus.

Angela Bonomy LLB

Angela is currently the National Audiology Services Manager for NHS Scotland, having previously led the Audiology Modernisation Project within the Scottish Government Health Department.

She has an LLB from the University of Glasgow and held various Senior Management positions within Boots the Chemists, Nottingham where she worked for 10 years.

Peter Byrom BSc

Peter Byrom is a Registered Hearing Aid Dispenser and Audiologist who trained through the traditional British Association of Audiology Technicians route before undertaking a diploma in Healthcare Studies and a Bachelor Degree in Healthcare Studies (Audiology). He is currently studying for an MSc in Advanced Practice (Audiology) at Leeds University. Peter gained experience at Sheffield Children’s Hospital and The Royal Hallamshire Hospital Adult Audiology Service (Sheffield) before moving to Rotherham Hospital where he currently manages the Audiology Department. He is particularly interested in the benefits of using open fit hearing aids and combination devices with minimal hearing losses to ameliorate tinnitus.

Professor Adrian C Davis FFPH FSS FRSA PhD MSc

Professor Davis is the Director of MRC Hearing and Communication Group and the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme at the University of Manchester. He has many other roles such as an adviser to the Department of Health, the only non audiological consultant on the board of BAA/BSA, he is on the board of examiners for Bristol University and does the stats for the World Health Organisation. Between 1968-1970 Professor Davis was a novice/Benedictine monk at Douai Abbey. Professor Davis is the author and co-author on various publications, books and journals.

Lucy Handscomb MSc

Lucy Handscomb qualified as a hearing therapist in 1993 and has worked in a number of clinical posts since then. She currently runs the hearing therapy service at St Mary’s Hospital in London as well as lecturing on the Bristol BSc in Audiology, and much of her time is spent in direct contact with Audiology patients. She gained a diploma in applied psychology from the University of London in 2006 and is currently studying for her MSc in Adult Audiological Rehabilitation at Bristol. She is particularly interested in psychological adjustment to hearing loss and methods of coping with tinnitus and is a member of the British Academy of Audiology.

Beth-Anne Mancktelow BSc

Beth-Anne works at St George’s Hospital in London, where she does both audiology and hearing therapy clinics. Her main interest is tinnitus but she is actively involved in Deaf awareness activities and works with people who are trying to cope with hearing loss. She is currently studying for her MSc in Adult Audiological Rehabilitation at Bristol. Beth-Anne is particularly interested in self-help and self-management in people who have tinnitus.

Don McFerran MA, FRCS

Don McFerran is a Consultant Otolaryngologist in Colchester, Essex. He was a medical student at Queens' College Cambridge and Cambridge University Medical School. His postgraduate training took him through several ENT departments in London and East Anglia. Although, like many district general hospital consultants, he has a fairly varied and generalised ENT practice he has tended to concentrate on adult otology and particularly enjoys the management of vertigo and tinnitus. He has published widely on a diverse range of ENT topics including paediatric tinnitus. He is the ENT editor of the Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary and former PAC Chair.

Laurence McKenna PhD, M Clin Psychol

Laurence has worked as a clinical psychologist at the Royal National Throat Nose and Ear (RNTNE) Hospital for the past 20 years on the study and psychological management of tinnitus and other audiological disorders. He is head of the team of psychologists working in adult audiological medicine and is a member of the cochlea implant team. Other work at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in London has included the assessment and management of patients with neurological disorders, medico legal work, management of attempted suicide patients, cochlea implantation and sleep disorders. He is an honorary lecturer at the Institute of Laryngology and Otology, UCL. Laurence is the author and co-author of a number of academic papers and book chapters in psychology and audiological medicine. His PhD focussed on psychological aspects of tinnitus and hearing loss. He is also on an advisory panel about tinnitus for the RNID and is currently co-Chairman of the European Tinnitus Course.