Meet the Cleft Team
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Helen Extence
Clinical Director and Lead Specialist Speech and Language Therapist I was appointed as Clinical Director for the cleft team in 2018. I am delighted to lead such a dedicated team of staff. I represent the service at the National Cleft Development Group and work closely with hospital managers and our Welsh commissions to ensure cleft care is the best it can be for our children, families and patients of South, West and Mid Wales. |
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Mr. Tomas O’Neill
Cleft Surgeon
Mr. Tomas O’Neill joined the South Wales Cleft Team in May 2019. He is a Plastic Surgeon who has completed additional specialist training (TIG Fellowship) in Cleft Lip and Palate with the National Cleft Surgical Service for Scotland in Glasgow. In addition to this, he has undertaken a Cleft and Craniomaxillofacial fellowship with Professor David David in Adelaide, South Australia. This fellowship was combined with a Masters Degree in Advanced Surgery in the field of Craniomaxillofacial surgery awarded by Macquarie University in Sydney. Tom is a recipient of the Rowan Nick’s Scholarship by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and also the Vice-Chancellor’s International Scholarship from Macquarie University. |
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Andrea Thomas I am the Cleft Lip and Palate Co-Ordinator and have worked in Morriston Hospital since 1992, working in Management and Anaesthetics before joining the Cleft Team in August 2003. I am the voice at the end of 01792 703810. I look after the cleft waiting list, arrange the MDT clinics, Audit and the cleft database. Morriston Hospital had a new Out-Patient Department in 2015. I was lucky to be part of the group involved in all the changes to make the systems work more effectively and the flow of patients more streamline. The new out-patients department has made a better experience for all patients and staff. You might have seen me in the MDT clinics - I have met some memorable patients over the years. I feel very grateful to be part of such a lovely team and meeting and talking to some lovely patients. |
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Cheryl Haynes |
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Debra Necrews-Davies I have recently joined the Cleft Service, having previously had 20 years’ experience of working within Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at Morriston and 30 years within the Health Service. My role is to provide a secretarial and administrative service to the whole cleft team. My son was born with a bilateral cleft lip & palate, so I have personal experience of the brilliant cleft service from a patient parent perspective. |
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Helin Coe |
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Gail Hogarth I am secretary to the Cleft Surgeon, joining the service in September 2005, although I have worked for the NHS since October 1989. I support the cleft surgeon with all his clerical needs. I mainly set up clinics and type clinic letters. I also support the cleft surgeon with his Plastic Surgery clerical needs. I speak to patients and other Health Professionals to help with their requirements. Most importantly, I keep the surgeon supplied with tea and biscuits. |
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Dr James Farrant I am a consultant anaesthetist with specialised paediatric anaesthesia training. I have worked at Swansea Bay University Health Board since 2016, having worked in England, Wales and New Zealand during my anaesthesia training. I routinely anaesthetise children for medical, ENT, congenital hand, cleft lip and palate procedures. I have experience of volunteering abroad, providing cleft anaesthesia in developing countries. I find it rewarding working in Swansea with the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate, being able to provide anaesthesia for cleft patients, looking after them and keeping them safe during their surgery. |
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Sabelo Ndlovu I have been a Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist for Swansea Bay University Health Board since May 2014, and have been one of two Anaesthetists for The Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate since 2018. In addition to this, I achieved a Fellowship in Paediatric Anaesthesia at Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2013. |
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Stuart Jones I provide general ICT support to the cleft team along with processing the Audio and Video records.
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Michaela Rowe I started my training in Morriston Hospital in 1984 as a Registered General Nurse, then when qualifying I worked on the surgical ward. I trained as a children’s nurse in 1989 in Great Ormond Street and returned to work on the children’s ward in Neath General Hospital, looking after sick children with general paediatric illness. Whilst working in Neath I was fortunate to undertake the reconstructive surgical module in Chepstow Hospital. I became sister on the children’s ward in Morriston in 1993, where I worked for 7 years looking after babies and children having cleft surgery, until I undertook my community nursing degree in 2000. On completing my degree, I worked as a children’s community nurse in Swansea. I was fortunate to secure my current role as Specialist Cleft Nurse in 2001. Whilst working as a cleft nurse I undertook the cleft nursing course in Nottingham. I feel privileged to have worked as the Lead Cleft Nurse for nearly 20 years looking after babies and their families going through their cleft journey. |
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Chuley Walton I qualified as a Children’s Nurse at Swansea University in 1998. I have worked as a paediatric nurse on the children’s wards at Morriston Hospital for over 22years. This has provided me with valuable experience in caring for children and their families across both surgical and medical specialities. Surgical nursing has always been my passion and I have had an ongoing interest in caring for babies/children and their families undergoing cleft surgery. I was also the link nurse for cleft whilst working on the ward. In 2015 I was fortunate to complete The management of a child with a cleft lip/palate course at Manchester University and consolidate this learning with a 9month secondment with the Cleft team. I secured a part time job with the team in 2019 followed by full time position early 2020. I feel extremely privileged to be part of our amazing cleft team and being involved in children's cleft journey’s. |
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Nicola Goldhawk I completed my nurse training at Swansea University in 2005 qualifying with a BN (Child). I worked as a paediatric nurse in Swansea for over 10 years, where I gained experience working on various children’s wards. During this time, I had a particular interest in nursing patients of all ages with cleft lip and palate. I then completed further training to become a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) and started working as a Health Visitor. I am now proud to be a part of the South Wales Cleft Team working as a Specialist Nurse. I support babies and their families through their cleft journey from the antenatal period and onwards to early adulthood. I am also the Safeguarding Lead for the team. |
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Ingo Scholler |
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Maha Mansour Consultant Paediatrician |
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Mechelle Collard I am a Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry and the lead for Paediatric Dentistry for the South Wales cleft team. The cleft dental nurses and I will work together with you and your local dentist to make sure children have healthy teeth and a lovely smile. I work closely with the Orthodontist and Surgeon to manage any missing or malformed teeth which can be common in children born with a cleft. I see patients in both Morriston Hospital and the University Dental Hospital, Cardiff. |
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Rachel Yemm |
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Sarah Francis I am a Dental Nurse for the Cleft Lip and Palate team here in South Wales. I joined in 2013 and love working with this amazing team. After qualifying from Bristol Dental Hospital in 1991, I have worked in all areas of dentistry, including general practice, community dental service and hospital dental service. I am passionate about oral health and patient centred care; it is important that the patients we care for have the best experience when they visit us and go away feeling motivated to look after their teeth and gums, to have a healthy mouth and a smile they are proud of. |
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Emma Thomas I am a Dental Nurse in the Orthodontic Clinic at the University of Wales Dental Hospital, Cardiff. I have an interest in Cleft Lip and Palate and support Rachel Yemm, Lead Cleft Dental Nurse, with her duties for the Cleft Team. |
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Miss S Davis Miss S Davis is a Consultant Otorhinolaryngologist (ENT Surgeon) who has been working with the Cleft Lip and Palate Team since 2009. Her role is to co-ordinate ENT and Audiology care for your child between the local services and the Cleft team. |
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Oliver Murch Prior to my medical training at Swansea University, I completed a PhD at Queen Mary University of London. I subsequently took up a specialist training post in Paediatrics and then Clinical Genetics training in Cardiff. I am now one of the Clinical Geneticists working for the All-Wales Medical Genomics Service (AWMGS). It is a privilege to be genetic lead for the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip & Palate. I am also clinical lead for the Wales Infants’ and Children’s Genome Service for acutely unwell children. |
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Charlotte Eckhardt Dr Charlotte Eckhardt is a highly experienced Consultant Orthodontist at Swansea Bay University Health Board, and Senior Clinical Lecturer in Aesthetic Medicine for the Queen Mary University of London. Charlotte ran the Orthodontic Course for Postgraduates and Specialist Trainees in Cardiff University from 2004 to 2008. In 2008 she founded the South Wales Orthodontic Therapy Course for the Royal College of Surgeons of England and ran it until 2014. In 2010 she became an examiner for MOrth for the Royal Surgical Colleges of England and Glasgow. In 2012 she was the elected Chair of the Panel of MOrth Examiners and in 2018 she was elected as Chair of the Board of Examiners Bi-Collegiate of MOrth Examination for the Royal College of Surgeons of England and Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians of Glasgow. In these roles she has been responsible for developing the international diets of the MOrth exams held in Malaysia, India and Egypt and in 2020, as a response to the global pandemic, she led the development of online assessments allowing MOrth to continue during times of restricted travel and limited face to face interactions. For her work for the Royal College of Surgeons of England she has been awarded the Collier Gold Medal (2021). In 2020 Charlotte was elected to the Board of the RCS and is the Deputy Chair of the Examinations Committee and the Academic and Innovations Committee. From 2008-2015 Charlotte was a member of the British Orthodontic Society Education Committee of which she was chair from 2011–2015 and Director of the BOS Virtual Learning Environment from 2008-2014 developing online continual professional development material. Charlotte has long held an interest in facial aesthetics and also has a Master’s degree in Aesthetic Medicine with distinction from Queen Mary University of London and is one of the few Practitioners in the UK to undertake such specialist training. Charlotte was subsequently asked to join the faculty, and is a Clinical Senior Lecturer on the Aesthetic Medicine Master’s degree at Queen Mary University of London, where she takes part in the training of Plastic Surgeons, Dermatologists, Doctors and Dentists on the safe and effective use of non-surgical aesthetic procedures and so is fully trained and indemnified for these. She is the Director of Assessments for this programme. Charlotte lectures nationally and internationally in the fields of Orthodontics and Aesthetic Medicine. |
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Karl Bishop Consultant in Restorative Dentistry |
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Jann Siew Chin Miss Chin is currently a Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at Cardiff Dental Hospital and works as part of the South Wales Cleft team. She works closely with a range of specialist teams from the Cleft Service to facilitate reshaping and replacement of teeth. She is a Specialist in dentures, bridges and implants. Miss Chin graduated from Newcastle in 2006 and completed a year of vocational training and three years in general dental practice. She then completed four years in hospital based senior house officer posts prior to completing her five-year specialist training in Restorative Dentistry at Cardiff Dental Hospital. She also obtained a Masters’ Degree at Cardiff University and was awarded a Fellowship in Dental Surgery in Restorative Dentistry with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. |
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Dr Vanessa Hammond I am the Lead Psychologist for the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip & Palate. I qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in 1995 and worked in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and with children with learning disabilities until 2008, when I joined the cleft team. It has been a privilege to work with children and adults born with a cleft and with their families, and to develop the psychology service. I enjoy being able to meet and work with people of all ages born with a cleft, to promote wellbeing, and to support people in clinics and through any treatment. I am the representative for Wales on the Paediatric Psychology Network, part of the British Psychological Society. I am a member of the Cleft Psychology Clinical Excellence Network and the Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland. I also lead the Child Health Psychology service in Swansea Bay University Health Board. |
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Dr Tom Henwood I am a Clinical Psychologist with the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate. I qualified from Cardiff University in 2018 and I worked in dementia care services before I joined the cleft team in 2020. I work with people right across the life span and help support them and their families through the wide range of psychological challenges that people may experience through being born with a cleft lip and / or cleft palate. I work closely with other members of the cleft team to ensure that our patients get the psychological support they need, when they need it. |
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Dawn Adams I have recently joined the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate. I will be working as an Assistant Psychologist for the Psychology service but I will also be part of a much bigger and specialist multi-disciplinary team. I have worked with a variety of different people across the lifespan with varying psychological needs and more recently I have worked in dementia care services. I would love to complete my training and qualify as a Clinical Psychologist in the future, but in the meantime, I am very much looking forward to my new role. |
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Erin Morgan
Assistant Clinical Psychologist I joined the Cleft team as an Assistant Psychologist in 2021. I have experience working with both children and adults in a range of settings. This includes forensic, psychological trauma and Children’s services, where I provided support to those who presented with psychological concerns, such as anxiety. I also linked in with other service providers so that the most appropriate care is accessed. I use these skills to promote good mental health and wellbeing amongst patients within the cleft service.
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Helen Extence
Lead Specialist Speech and Language Therapist I am the Lead Speech and Language Therapist for the Cleft Speech and Language Therapy Department and currently the Clinical Director for the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate.
I ensure that the service is represented nationally and that speech outcomes are recorded and reported nationally. I support a team of highly skilled specialist therapists to deliver assessment, differential diagnosis, specialist therapy, training of others and ensure the department undertakes quality improvement projects in order to promote the best care for patients. Staff within the service are actively encouraged to undertake and contribute to research and audit projects. I am a CAPS A trainer as well as an advisor for the Cleft Collective speech project. I am an active member of the Lead Cleft SLT Forum and heavily involved in the national standards work and the national survey, examining the inequities in speech and language therapy provision for children born with cleft lip and palate. |
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Sharon Baker I work within the hub at Morriston Hospital seeing children and adults for speech assessments and within the MDT clinics. I also provide therapy in various Health Boards across Wales. I support the lead SLT in the day to day running of the Cleft SLT team. My role involves undertaking service evaluations and improvement projects. I also support the other SLT’s in carrying these out and implementing changes. |
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Siwan Etheridge I joined the cleft team in 2010. I work as part of the Regional Cleft Service and I am the link Speech Therapist for Swansea Bay University Health Board and Hywel Dda Health Board. I provide therapy and assessment for children born with a cleft palate or velopharyngeal dysfunction. I completed my MSc. in cleft speech difficulties through the University of Sheffield in 2014. I have a special interest in literacy and collecting and analysing the outcomes of speech therapy.
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Rhian Hoccom I am currently the link for Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board. I offer therapy to children born with cleft lip and palate or have symptoms of velopharyngeal dysfunction within the Cardiff and Vale area. I also support local Speech and Language Therapists with second opinions and joint therapy target setting. This therapy is based in Llandough Children’s Centre and in Schools. I also work in Morriston Hospital where I work with the wider cleft team on clinics and I carry out routine and post-operative speech assessment.
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Lisa Farquhar I am currently the link for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. My role is to provide therapy to children born with a cleft palate and those who have velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD) with associated cleft speech characteristics. I also assess children suspected of having VPD and work very closely with the local SLT Team, offering a second opinion and advice and support as required. The majority of my work is carried out in schools or community clinics. |
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Rhian Pinkney I have worked as a Speech and Language Therapist in South Wales and Surrey for over 10 years, supporting children and young people with speech and language disorders. During this time, I have had a particular interest in supporting children of all ages with cleft lip and palate. I joined the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate in 2020 and my role involves providing therapy to children born with a cleft palate and those who have velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD). I work at Morriston Hospital and also cover Cardiff and Vale UHB, Hywel Dda Health Board and Aneurin Bevan UHB areas. |
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Laura Williams
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Following my role as a Paediatric Speech & Language Therapist, I joined the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate in 2021. My role involves providing assessment and therapy for children with a cleft palate and/or velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD). I am a link therapist for Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, as well as working within the multidisciplinary team in Morriston Hospital.
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Shirley Williams I have 2 roles within the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate. I am a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant supporting the Specialist Speech and Language Therapists with patient support, resources and admin. I provide therapy to patients within the Swansea area and I am also responsible for the delivery of the Babble therapy workshops to families who have had a baby born with a cleft palate +/- lip.
My second role is an Audit clerk. I support all clinicians with the collation and sometimes recording of patient data in preparation for Audits or Research Projects. I prepare the Speech Data for the CRANE database and 5-year speech outcomes for the dashboard. |
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Lauren Hughes I am a Cleft Speech and Language Therapy Assistant and I joined the team in 2020. My role is to support the Specialist Speech and Language Therapists in all aspects of their work. I support the Specialist Speech and Language Therapists in providing therapy to babies and children born with a cleft lip +/- palate and those with velopharyngeal dysfunction (VPD). I plan and create therapy resources, carry out administrative tasks and assist in preparing for clinics. I work within Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. |
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Shelley Morgan I am a Higher Clerical Officer and provide administrative and secretarial support for the Cleft Speech and Language Therapy Team within the hub and link areas. I am based at Morriston Hospital. |