Neil Tan

Professor Neil Tan is a Consultant Rhinologist at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and holds an honorary academic appointment at the University of Exeter Medical School. He is Specialty Lead for ENT at the Trust, and the region refers complex cases of chronic rhinosinusitis to him.

Neil’s research concentrates on chronic rhinosinusitis and the outcomes of endoscopic sinus surgery. He is particularly interested in how patients experience nose and sinus disease, and how that experience is measured. He also has interests in the application of digital and AI-assisted tools in ENT, aimed at improving access to healthcare, especially in remote, rural and underserved areas.

He completed his PhD with distinction at the University of Adelaide under Professor PJ Wormald, investigating the role of intracellular bacteria in the pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis. His current work focuses on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), especially for children, and on digital and AI-assisted tools that bring outcome measurement into routine NHS care. He has published in basic science and clinical rhinology. He presents internationally and has moderated instructional symposia at the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Annual Meeting.

Neil is National Research Lead for the British Rhinological Society and Peninsula Research Lead for the NIHR ENT Clinical Research Network. He sits on the National Councils of the British Rhinological Society and the British Otorhinolaryngology & Allied Sciences Research Society (BOARS). He is also the only UK member of the International Committee of the American Rhinologic Society.

Neil has a strong commitment to surgical education and holds a Master of Education with distinction from the University of Cambridge. He is Training Programme Director for ENT Surgery in the South West Peninsula and directs the Cornwall Advanced Rhinology Fellowship. He also founded and leads the UK Frontal Sinus Masterclass and teaches on international sinus surgery courses in Australasia, North America, Europe and the UK.

Interests:

• Pathogenesis of chronic rhinosinusitis
• Outcomes of primary and revision endoscopic sinus surgery, particularly of the frontal sinus
• Patient-reported outcome measures in rhinology
• Digital and AI-assisted outcome measurement
• Biologic therapies for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps
• Surgical education and simulation

Qualifications:

• FRCS (ORL-HNS), 2016
• MEd (Distinction), University of Cambridge, 2015
• PhD (Distinction), University of Adelaide, 2013
• MBBS, Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Medicine, 2004
• BSc (Hons) Radiological Sciences, Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ School of Medicine, 2003

Career:

• 2023 - present Training Programme Director, ENT Surgery, South West Peninsula
• 2019 - present Consultant Rhinologist, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust
• 2018-19 Locum Consultant in ENT, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
• 2017-18 Fellow in Advanced Rhinology, Endoscopic Skull Base and Lacrimal Surgery, University of Adelaide, Australia
• 2016-17 Fellow in Anterior and Lateral Skull Base Surgery, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge
• 2009-16 Specialty Training in ENT, East of England, including PhD research at the University of Adelaide, Australia