Speak Out April 2018

Policy & advocacy

Senate Inquiry into the prevalence of different types of speech, language and communication disorders and Speech Pathology Services in Australia: The long-awaited but disappointing government response

As members will be aware, the Senate Inquiry was conducted over 2013 and 2014 including submissions and public hearings, with the Senate’s Community Affairs References Committee, releasing its findings and report in September 2014. Since that time, Speech Pathology Australia has consistently sought a formal federal government response and support for the recommendations made by the Senate. After three and a half years, and several health ministers over this time, the government response to the Senate Inquiry, through the Federal Health Minister, was finally received, just before Christmas. Disappointingly, it was an underwhelming response with little, if any, acknowledgement of the needs of those with communication and swallowing difficulties and no specific commitment to improving access to adequate and timely services. The report outlines the range of funding programs that are available but does not discuss any related shortfalls. The report also refers to the recent ABS Communication Disability thematic publication, however the Association’s liaison with the ABS to achieve this work was quite separate to any recommendations within the Senate report. The one activity implemented against Recommendation 10 was development of a landing page on the Department of Health site to provide information for the public on the significance of speech and language disorders and how to access speech

pathologists, with some links to SPA’s public Fact Sheets, amongst other linked sites. Other Senate recommendations were responded to in terms of what the federal Government considered was already in place, or considered to be the responsibility of the States/ Territories. The full response can be viewed on SPA’s website from this link: https://goo.gl/vCnzqj Not to be deterred, SPA is currently preparing a response which will focus on specific projects which we consider the Federal government could lead, and will request a meeting with the Minister of Health, Hon Greg Hunt, to discuss. In particular, SPA will be renewing our call for a consolidated analysis of availability of speech pathology services and gaps in access or adequate levels of intervention. Work in relation to cost-benefit studies will also be reinforced. Ongoing liaison with Senator Rachel Siewert (Senate Inquiry chair) as well as other ministers and consumer groups will continue as we aim to achieve a more satisfactory outcome for people with communication and swallowing difficulties. The chapter is not yet over! Recent submissions • Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care – Patient Safety & Quality Improvement in Primary Care • Australian Government Department of Health – Specialist Dementia Care Units • Select Committee on the Future of Work and Workers – Future of Work and Workers • Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport – Quality of Care in Residential Aged Care Facilities • Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme – NDIS Market Readiness • Government of WA Health & Disability Services Complaints Office – National Code of Conduct for Healthcare Workers (WA) • Australian Government Department of Health - Aged Care Workforce Strategy Gail Mulcair Chief Executive Officer

Standing Committee Inquiry into the Quality of Care in Residential Aged Care Facilities On 6 March 2018, Speech Pathology Australia’s Chief Executive Officer Gail Mulcair and Senior Advisor Ethics and Professional Issues, Trish Johnson, appeared before the Australian Parliament’s Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport’s Inquiry into the Quality of Care in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Australia. The full transcript of the ‘East Melbourne, VIC’ session is available at: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/ House/Health_Aged_Care_and_Sport/AgedCareFacilities/Public_ Hearings

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April 2018 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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