| Julia Appleton BSc (Hons), MRCSLT |
| Julia qualified as a speech and language therapist in 1988 after completing a BSc (Hons) in Speech Sciences at the National Hospitals College of Speech Sciences at the University of London. |
| After completing an initial generalist post, Julia worked for five years at St Mary's Hospital, London where she was able to develop her skills in the management of dysphagia and voice, particularly with patients with head and neck malignancies, which had always been of particular clinical interest to her. She was also able to further her interests and skills in objective assessment of dysphagia, particularly videofluoroscopy, and has been involved in the regular provision of a joint dysphagia clinic for the past five years. In addition to her clinical work, Julia has taught at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level and participated in clinical research. |
| Julia was a founder member of the Special Interest Group in Adult Acquired Dysphagia (SIGAAD) and is now the Chairman. She is currently the senior speech and language therapist at Charing Cross Hospital, London, working with patients who have dysphagia and communication difficulties arising from head and neck tumours and/or radiotherapy. |
| Jane Machin BA (Hons), DipCCS, MRCSLT, DALF |
| Jane Machin read French with Spanish at the University of Durham, following which she taught English to university students in France. She then undertook the postgraduate diploma in clinical communication studies at the City University, qualifying in 1987, thus fulfilling a long-term ambition to become a speech and language therapist. |
| Following an initial generalist post, Jane worked for a short time at St Mary's Hospital, London, where part of the caseload included patients with head and neck cancer. She was able to foster her interest in the particular difficulties faced by this patient group, an interest which had first been aroused during a training placement. |
| Since 1988, Jane has worked at the Royal Marsden Hospital, where the role of the speech and language therapist is to manage disorders of communication and swallowing arising from cancer and its treatment. Jane has maintained and developed her enthusiasm for the speech and language therapy management of head and neck cancer patients during the past seven years. |
| Apart from clinical input, her current position involves a number of regular teaching commitments external to the hospital, as well as involvement in research projects. Jane is a member of the Special Interest Group in Adult Acquired Dysphagia (SIGAAD) and has actively participated in previous meetings. |
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