All European countries have hospitals or clinical departments dedicated to the care of patients who suffer from diseases of the ear, nose and throat; some dating from the 15-16th century. At present, each of these countries has a national society of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ORL-HNS) to which the majority of clinicians and specialists belong. Only recently has the concept of interchange of medical specialists been encouraged and recognised. It was with this in mind that the European Federation of Otorhinolaryngological Societies (EUFOS) was formed “to promote, to coordinate and to unify the advancement of ORL in Europe” (www.eufos2004.org).

With the establishment of the European Union, it was necessary to “harmonise and improve the quality of training of medical specialists in Europe”.  So, in 1958 UEMS (European Union of Medical Specialists) was founded.  In 1962 the ORL-HNS specialist section was formed.  Within each country there also exist many sub-specialist organisations related to ORL-HNS, eg. Otology, Rhinology, Laryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. During this same period, enthusiastic individuals and groups within Europe specialist European Societies such as the European Rhinological Society (ERS) 1963; the European Laryngological Society (ELS) 1995; the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-otology (EAONO) 1995; and, more recently, the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) 2005. Logically, there developed a need to coordinate the activities of these various organisations related to ORL-HNS.

This was the driving force to form a European Academy of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (EAORL-HNS) to bring together all of the European sub-speciality organisations in collaboration with EUFOS and UEMS; to provide harmonisation and rationalisation of courses, congresses, instruction sessions and teaching programmes within Europe. There is also a need to provide a framework for instruction of trainee otorhinolaryngologists at affordable prices. At a recent meeting of the EUFOS Standing Committee of Training and Continuing Medical Education held in the ORL-HNS Department, University of Marburg, Germany in January 2005, the principles of the EAORL-HNS were agreed and thus it was formally founded.

The EAORL-HNS was first mentioned in the EUFOS presidential address, by Professor Klaus Jahnke in Berlin 2000. At a subsequent meeting in Oporto in 2002, the topic was again discussed at the EUFOS Executive Committee Meeting. There were further discussions by EUFOS and UEMS in Thessalonika in 2003 when the Executive Committee accepted the concept of the EAORL-HNS. At a meeting in Essen in 2004, where all of the European Societies met, they gave their support to the concept of the EAORL-HNS. In May 2004, in Vienna, there was a further presentation to the EUFOS Executive Committee. Subsequently, in Rhodes September 2004, the EAORL-HNS project was presented to the EUFOS General Assembly. In October 2004, in Nice, the project was presented to the UEMS. The final meeting was held in Marburg, Germany, in January 2005, at which the Byelaws were formulated. The Byelaws are documented here.

--Mr Richard A Maw, Bristol, UK and Mr Patrick J Bradley, Nottingham, UK.