MP recovering after surgery affects voice

Frome MP Anna Sabine is recovering after thyroid surgery resulted in an injury to the nerve controlling her vocal cords, temporarily affecting her voice.

Anna underwent the operation at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, which resulted in an injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve – the nerve that controls the vocal cords.

She said the injury has left her voice very quiet for now and constituents who meet her over the coming weeks may notice the difference. A similar injury was suffered by BBC broadcaster Nick Robinson following surgery in 2015, before he later made a full recovery and returned to presenting the Today programme.

Anna said, “Anyone who knows me knows I’m rarely lost for words, so these last couple of weeks without much of a voice have been quite an adjustment. But I’m in good company; Nick Robinson went through exactly the same thing after his surgery and he’s back on the radio every morning sounding exactly like himself. That’s given me real confidence about what’s ahead.

“I’m now focused on giving myself the best possible chance of a full recovery, which means a further period of voice rest over the summer. I’ve had wonderful care from so many people at the RUH and my local GP practice and have various follow-up appointments happening in July to check on progress and plan next steps – including with a speech and language therapy team.

“This will not stop me being an effective voice for Frome and East Somerset. My team and I are continuing to work on every issue that matters to residents, from bus services to healthcare, and constituents should keep contacting my office as normal.

“When Parliament returns in September, I expect to need some practical adaptations to make sure I can continue to represent this constituency fully, whether that’s in the Chamber, in committee, or in meetings. I’m confident, working with the House authorities, that we can put the right arrangements in place, and I won’t let this get in the way of doing the job I was elected to do.”

Anna’s office continues to operate as normal throughout her recovery, and constituents with casework or enquiries are encouraged to contact the team in the usual way.