Photo of Dr Roganie Govender

Dr Roganie Govender

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Location:

  • University College Hospital

Professional background

Dr Govender is a consultant speech and language therapist and clinical academic researcher based at the head and neck academic centre at UCH. She trained in South Africa – where she obtained a dual qualification in Speech Pathology and Audiology in 1993. In 1998 she obtained a Masters degree in Communication Pathology and in 2018 she completed a PhD in Behavioural Science and Health at UCL.

Dr Govender has worked within the field of ENT/Head and neck both in South Africa and in the UK. Her experience in South Africa includes working at The Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto and the Johannesburg General Hospital. She has also worked in different parts of the UK including Newcastle, Birmingham and Cambridge.

She worked at The Royal Free Hospital in London from 2000 and joined the head and neck unit at UCLH since its inception in June 2005. During the course of her career she has developed specialist skills in working with a range of patients seen within the ENT/Head and neck, maxillofacial and radiotherapy and oncology specialisms. She has completed advanced training in the management of laryngectomy and surgical voice restoration in the UK, Amsterdam and Indiannapolis.

She has also attended clinical observership programmes at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York and the Evelyn Trammell Institute of Voice & Swallowing at the Medical University of South Carolina, USA.

Specialties

Research interests

Dr Govender has previously received a prestigious NIHR doctoral fellowship, and currently holds a four-year NIHR clinical lectureship award.

She has also been a post-doctoral fellow at the Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Research at UCH, and an NIHR CLAHRC North Thames fellow.

She has a keen interest in applied health research methods and the application of behaviour change science to clinical interventions. Her clinical research relates to functional outcomes for swallowing and communication following head and neck cancer  - and dysphagia following laryngectomy.

She is involved in teaching and training at undergraduate and postgraduate level nationally and internationally and provides supervision of student research.

She is also an appointed NIHR training advocate for Speech and Language Therapists wishing to embark on a clinical-academic career.  Dr Govender is part of an expert panel that develops and updates clinical guidelines for the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists.

She served as the chair-person for the Special Interest Group in head and neck cancer (for SLTs) for the south of England from October 2004 to January 2008. She was previously awarded the Macmillan Action for London patient nominated award

Publications

Peer-reviewed publications:

  • Alan JE, Clunie GM, Slinger C, Haines J, Mossey-Gaston C, Zaga CJ, Scott B, Wallace, S & Govender R (2020). Utility of ultrasound in the assessment of swallowing and laryngeal function: A rapid review and critical appraisal of the literature. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12584

  • Patterson JM, Govender R, Roe J, Clunie G, Murphy J, Brady G, Haines, J & Carding P. (2020) COVID-19 and ENT SLT services, workforce and research in the UK: A discussion paper. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12565

  • Govender R, Smith CH, Barratt, Gardner B and Taylor SA. (2020) SIP SMART: a parallel group randomised feasibility trial of a tailored pre-treatment swallowing intervention package compared with usual care for patients with head and neck cancer. BMC Cancer 20, 360 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-020-06877-3

  • Dawson C, Roe J, Starmer H, Brady G, Nund R, Coffey M, Govender R and Pracy P (2020) ‘Patient advocacy in head and neck cancer: realities, challenges and the role of the multidisciplinary team’, Clinical Otolaryngolgy (editorial), doi:10 1111/coa 13508
  • Govender R, Taylor SA, Smith CH, Gardner B (2019). Helping Patients With Head and Neck Cancer Understand Dysphagia: Exploring the Use of Video-Animation. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, Vol. 28•697–705. https://pubs.asha.org 109.151.244.130
  • Lee MT, Govender R, Roy P, Vaz FM and Hilari K (2020) ‘Factors affecting swallowing outcomes after total laryngectomy: participant self-report using the swallowing outcomes after laryngectomy (SOAL) questionnaire’, Head & Neck, https://doi.org/10.1002/hed.26132.
  • *Govender R, Wood CE, Taylor SA, Smith CH, Barratt H, Gardner B (2017). Patient experiences of swallowing exercises after head and neck cancer?: A qualitative study examining barriers and facilitators using behaviour change theory. Dysphagia. 32: 559-69. doi:10.1007/s00455-017-9799-x
  • Govender R, Smith CH, Taylor SA, Barratt H, Gardner B (2017). Swallowing interventions for the treatment of dysphagia after head and neck cancer: a systematic review of behavioural strategies used to promote patient adherence to swallowing exercises. BMC Cancer.17:43. doi: 10.1186/s12885-016-2990-x
  • Govender R, Smith CH, Gardner B, Barratt H, Taylor SA (2017). Improving swallowing outcomes in patients with head and neck cancer using a theory-based pretreatment swallowing intervention package: protocol for a randomised feasibility study. BMJ Open. 7:e014167. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014167
  • Govender R, Lee MT, Drinnan M, Davies T, Twinn C & Hilari K (2016). Psychometric evaluation of the Swallowing Outcome after Laryngectomy (SOAL) patient-reported outcome measure. Head Neck, 38: E1639–E1645. doi:10.1002/hed.24291
  • Govender R, Smith CH, Taylor SA, Grey D, Wardle J, Gardner B (2015) Identification of behaviour change components in swallowing interventions for head and neck cancer patients: Protocol for a systematic review. Systematic Reviews, 4:89. DOI 10.1186/s13643-015-0077-4
  • Kalavrezos N, Cotrufo S, Govender R, Rogers P, Pirgousis P, Balasundram S, Lalabekyan B & Liew C. (2014) Factors affecting swallow outcome following treatment for advanced oral & oropharyngeal malignancies. Head & Neck. 3 (1) 47-54.
  • Govender R, Breeson L, Tuomainen J & Smith CH. (2013) Speech & Swallowing rehabilitation after head and neck cancer: Are we hearing the patient’s voice? Clinical Otolaryngology. 38 433-437.
  • **Govender R, Lee MT, Davies TC, Twinn CE, Katsoulis KL, Payten CL, Stephens R & Drinnan M. (2012) Development & preliminary validation of a patient-reported outcome measure for swallowing after total laryngectomy (SOAL questionnaire). Clinical Otolaryngology. 37,452-459.
  • Khemani S, Govender R, Arora A & Vaz F (2010) A simple modification of the Taub air insufflation test. Clinical Otolaryngology. 35(3) 245-246.
  • Khemani S, Govender R, Arora A, O’Flynn PE & Vaz FM. (2009) Use of botulinum toxin in voice restoration after laryngectomy. Journal of Laryngology & Otology. 123(12)1308-1313.

* Awarded journal prize for best article illustrating important clinical relevance. Highly accessed article.

**Article nominated for star rating by F1000 prime.

Selected non-peer-reviewed publications and published abstracts:

  • Govender R, Taylor SA, Smith CH, Gardner B. (2018) Discussing swallowing and dysphagia during the pre-treatment couseling for patients with head and neck cancer: Is video-animation a useful education tool? Dysphagia, 33: 484-588 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-018-9900-0 ABSTRACTS 7th ESSD Conference.
  • Lee MT, Govender R, Roy P, Hilari K. (2018) Factors affecting swallow outcome after total laryngectomy: Participant self-report using the swallow outcomes after laryngectomy (SOAL) questionnaire. Dysphagia, 33: 484-588 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00455-018-9900-0 ABSTRACTS 7th ESSD Conference.
  • Govender R, Wood C, Taylor SA, Smith CH, Gardner B. (2017). Patient adherence to swallowing exercises after head and neck cancer: Identification of barriers and facilitators. Dysphagia, DOI 10.1007/s00455-016-9752-4 ABSTRACTS DRS meeting.
  • Cotrufo S, Balasundram S, Schache A, Liew C, Govender R & Kalavrezos N. (2011). Assessment of oral intake in advanced oral and oropharyngeal cancer patients: A five year retrospective study. British Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. (49) p.S15.
  • Ahluwalia S, Govender R, Stimpson P, O’Flynn P, Vaz, F. (2010) Stomal manometry as a simple objective measure of pharyno-oesophageal tonicity. Published abstract. BAHNO Scientific Meeting, April 2010, London UK.
  • Evans E, Hurren A, Govender R, Radford K, Robinson F, Batch A, Samuel P. (2009) Prosthetic Surgical Voice Restoration: The Role of the Speech & Language Therapist. RCSLT Policy Statement.
  • Behenna K, Govender R, Jones S, Kelly A, Morton V & Sell D. (2008) Evolving Roles in Speech & Language Therapy. RCSLT Policy Statement.
  • Ho-Asjoe M, Govender R, Butler PEM. (2004) Hypopharynx Reconstruction. Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. 113 (2) 775-7.
  • Govender R (1997) Swallowing Disorders in Adult patients. Professional Nursing Today. 1(4) 34-38.