BSHAA member becomes new BTA president

Tony Kay, BSHAA member and head of audiology services at Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, has become the new President of the British Tinnitus Association (BTA).

David Stockdale, BTA chief executive said: “We are delighted to have someone as passionate as Tony is about supporting people with tinnitus as our president. Tony not only leads an excellent service within Aintree, he also gives his time and expertise generously out of working hours, having set up the Aintree Tinnitus Support Group, and served as on both the BTA’s Professional Advisers’ Committee and the British Society of Audiology’s Tinnitus & Hyperacusis Special Interest Group.

“Tony brings a wealth of clinical expertise in tinnitus and experience of management of this complex condition. We are looking forward to having his input and insight as we continue to develop our own support services.”

Tony – who takes over as president from Prof David Baguley – said: “I am both humbled and honoured to have been appointed to the prestigious role of president of the British Tinnitus Association and I am looking forward to fulfilling my duties and further supporting the aims of the BTA.”

BSHAA president Andrew Coulter added: “Huge congratulations to Tony for becoming the BTA’s new president. The honour is rich reward for his experience and commitment to the management of tinnitus. I wish him all the best in his role and look forward to working closely with him.”

If you would like to find out more about the group, please contact audiology@aintree.nhs.uk  or Colette Bunker at the BTA at colette@tinnitus.org.uk or 0114 250 9933.

Tony Kay and Kim Moss from Aintree Tinnitus Support Group after the group achieved BTA Gold Standard

Q&A

Could you give us a quick summary of your career to date?

I qualified as an audiologist in 1984 and I’m currently head of audiology services at Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. My main clinical interests are tinnitus and hyperacusis. I became a registered Hearing Aid Dispenser in 1995 and I have experience of working as an independent hearing aid dispenser and treating patients with tinnitus in both the NHS and private sectors.

What are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of my family – my wife Sue (who’s put up with me for 35 years – and counting – of marriage), my children and grandchildren. Several things spring to mind that I’m proud of about my career. Developing an effective and supportive tinnitus service and tinnitus support group is particularly pleasing, as was Aintree’s audiology services becoming the first NHS audiology service to be fully accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service’s Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) in 2013. Also, becoming a member of the BTA’s Professional Advisors Committee and, now, the association’s president. I’m both honoured and humbled to have been bestowed this prestigious role.

What are you hoping to achieve during your term in office?

I hope that I will be an effective ambassador for the BTA, and for individuals with tinnitus. I hope to support the BTA with their strategy, continue to raise the profile of tinnitus and its impact on people, and give the benefit of my clinical and managerial expertise

How do you think BSHAA and the BTA can work closer together?

I think we should all work together to improve the quality of life and outcomes for our service users. BSHAA members should signpost individuals with tinnitus to the BTA and local BTA approved tinnitus support groups. Perhaps developing effective tinnitus training programmes for BSHAA members to further enhance awareness is a possible initiative.

What do you see as the main challenges and opportunities for our profession over the next few years?

An increasingly elderly population with hearing, tinnitus and balance problems is certainly a challenge for us all. Our opportunity as a profession is to continue to improve and develop effective streamlined services to cope with the demand and continue to improve the quality of life of the people we treat.

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