Ronald Hinchliffe

Ronald Hinchcliffe was born in Bolton, England in 1926 and trained in Medicine in the University of Manchester. His research began when working in the Royal Air Force and his first major study, on leaving the RAF and working for the Medical Research Council was on the effects of age in hearing in Wales and Scotland. He subsequently worked in Iowa City where he began his work of Menière's Disorder and its classification. On his return to London, in 1963, he developed the Neurootology unit of the Institute of Laryngology and Otology. In 1975, together with Ian Taylor of Manchester, he was responsible for the establishment of the Speciality of Audiological Medicine and was subsequently appointed Professor of Audiological Medicine.

He was a founder of the British Association of Audiological Physicians in 1977 and of IAPA in 1980, going on the be Chairman of the former and President of the latter. He was also long term Secretary General of the International Society of Audiolgoy.

Since his retirement he has continued to contribute particularly in the field of Medico legal Audiology and ethical matters and contributed important chapters to the recent Textbook of Audiological Medicine.

(Prof. S Dafydd G Stephens)