Audiology included in this year’s PAC Conference 

Audiology included in this year’s PAC Conference 

Professor Gaby Saunders, Director of the Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD) ; a leading expert in hearing health and rehabilitation, will deliver the opening audiology keynote at this year’s Specsavers Professional Advancement Conference (PAC) on Sunday 13 September.

Registration is now live for PAC, one of the UK’s largest conference for audiology clinicians. Returning to Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (ICC), PAC is open to everyone working in audiology, regardless of employer or qualification.

For the first six weeks of registration, non-Specsavers clinicians can access an early bird rate of £109+VAT, rising to £119+VAT thereafter. Free student places are also available through partnering universities. A creche is again available this year to make PAC more accessible for clinicians with younger children.

Gordon Harrison, Director of Professional Advancement at Specsavers, says: ‘PAC supports the ongoing professional development of the whole audiology sector, including the next generation of audiologists. There is nothing else quite like Specsavers PAC in the UK for audiology, bringing together a broad CPD programme, expert speakers, exhibitors and practical learning. PAC 2026 will help clinicians build expertise, gain essential CPD and stay at the forefront of evidence-based patient care.’

Sonam Sehemby, Head of Clinical Training for Specsavers Audiology and event lead, says: ‘I’m really excited about this year’s PAC programme and speaker line-up. Professor Saunders is a highly respected researcher with an extensive body of published work in audiology and hearing science. Her research focuses on making hearing care more effective, accessible and personalised, combining behavioural science, technology and real-world data to improve outcomes for people with hearing loss. Her keynote will focus on patient-clinician communication, giving clinicians practical insight into using plain language during and after hearing care appointments.’

At ManCAD, Professor Saunders helps shape the centre’s research direction, with a focus on hearing rehabilitation, service improvement and translating research into practical changes in hearing care systems and clinical practice.

The multi-format event will include panel discussions, Q&As and interactive breakout sessions, alongside a dedicated trainee track for those progressing through audiology learning programmes. Sessions are designed to support progression from trainee to professional and provide CPD for all qualification levels.

Other confirmed speakers and contributors include:

Dr Justin Zakis from the internationally renowned National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), speaking about practical applications of using NAL-NL3, following a successful keynote session at the 2025 PAC introducing NAL-NL3.

Dr Gladys Sanda, a Clinical Doctor of Audiology with more than a decade of experience, specialising in tinnitus and hyperacusis management. Drawing on her own experience of tinnitus, she takes an empathetic and practical approach to patient care. She developed the Auditory-Limbic Neuroregulation Model to help patients understand the neurological mechanisms behind tinnitus and learn strategies to calm the nervous system and reduce tinnitus reactivity.

Dr Claire Ashley, a leading authority on wellbeing who helps professionals and organisations identify, prevent and recover from burnout. With a background in neuroscience and more than 15 years in clinical practice, her approach combines scientific understanding of the brain with real-world insight into professional pressure and workplace mental health.

Zara Musker, a deaf athlete whose cochlear implant has been transformative, enabling her to captain the England futsal team and train as a clinical scientist in audiology.

Ms Sehemby adds: ‘For audiology undergraduates, there are 100 free places available, alongside a dedicated student CPD track. Places will be allocated to current learners in collaboration with universities that provide audiology degrees. We look forward to welcoming students, trainees and colleagues from across the audiology sector.’

PAC’s manufacturer learning hub will feature fast-paced, interactive sessions from leading hearing aid manufacturers, with practical tips clinicians can take back into clinic. Delegates will also be able to connect with peers from across the UK and explore an exhibition featuring suppliers, professional bodies and academic institutes from across the sector.

Specsavers PAC also includes a full optics CPD programme and welcomes thousands of delegates to the ICC Birmingham each year.

Go to https://specsaversevents.co.uk/pac/general/home.asp to find out more and register.