BLA Presidency transfers from Prof Guri Sandhu to Mr Declan Costello

The BLA council met on Thursday, 18^th May and it was at this meeting the BLA council welcomed incoming President, Mr Declan Costello.

Mr Costello is a founding member of the BLA he is an experienced consultant laryngologist with extensive expertise in treating all aspects of voice disorders and is the current editor of ENT & Audiology News, a position he has held for over 10 years. Mr Costello said of his upcoming presidency: 

“I am delighted to be taking over the Presidency of the BLA from Prof Guri Sandhu.  Guri has provided superb leadership in the last couple of years and has instituted some great initiatives and taken the organisation in new directions.  I look forward to building on his work and forging new partnerships in the UK and overseas.  We are planning to increase the number and range of courses we offer, in particular aiming to reach out to our SLT colleagues and to trainee ENT surgeons.  The sub-specialty of laryngology is in the ascendancy, and I am very excited to be leading the BLA for the next couple of years.”

Mr Costello succeeds the incumbent President, Prof Guri Sandu. Prof Sandhu is also a founding member of the BLA and immediate past President of the Laryngology & Rhinology section at the RSM. He is a Consultant Otolaryngologist and Head & Neck Surgeon at Imperial College and The Royal Brompton Hospitals in London and received a professorship from Imperial College in 2021. 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. Under his leadership, Mr Sandhu has increased educational events both in-person and remotely, bringing the BLA community together again in person whilst keeping the accessibility online learning offers.

Most notably, with a new venture as the BLA and the UEP will join forces to present a one-day meeting on voice-related topics. This inaugural meeting will take place on the 14^th September at the RSM London. The BLA has also continued to foster innovation and connectivity with the continuation of the BLA app and podcast BLA Connections: A Clear Voice, which is entering its fifth series.

Prof Sandhu welcomes Mr Costello: 

“It gives me great pleasure to hand over the Presidency of the British Laryngological Association to Mr Declan Costello. He is a leader in the field of Laryngology and has a great vision to grow the excellent work the organisation already undertakes.”

To learn more about the British Laryngological Association, please visit here.

-END-

Notes to Editors

The British Laryngological Association (BLA) is a membership society which aims to achieve advancement in laryngology for the benefit of the public through research, education and training. The BLA is allied to ENT-UK which is the professional association for British Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeons and other related professionals.

Interview requests: enquries@britishlaryngological.org