Speak Out April 2021

Advertising additional services When you are advertising services additional to speech pathology services there are a number of factors that members should be mindful of in order to comply with the Speech Pathology Australia Code of Ethics 2020 Advertising Policy. These include: • Ensuring that your promotional materials and web content clearly demonstrate the difference between speech pathology and additional services, without aligning the two distinct types of services. • Deciding if the additional service is actually skills or knowledge as a speech pathologist in order to provide the service. If you are using an activity to work towards speech pathology goals, advertising for that activity would be subject to comply with the Speech Pathology Code of Ethics 2020 Advertising Policy. • Be aware that testimonials related to health services are prohibited, both under the SPA Advertising Policy, and under the National Law for AHPRA registered professions. This is because testimonials are unverifiable, subjective and may intentionally or unintentionally mislead consumers to access a health service that is not appropriate a therapy activity used to work towards speech pathology goals. This includes considering whether you are using your

to their needs. Testimonials encourage individuals to make decisions based on emotions, rather than analysing their need for speech pathology services, and selecting a service based on that need. • Be mindful of claims regarding evidence to support the non speech pathology services you offer. Information should be factual and clearly presented so that clients can make a fully informed choice regarding the use of their resources, such as funding or time, on services that will meet their needs. • Remember that credentials are attributed and maintained by an individual not an organisation or business and this should be reflected as such on your promotional materials and web content. • The ethics team at SPA is developing resources for speech pathologists on this topic, to support appropriate advertising. Please visit the Advertising section of the website for the Code of Ethics - Advertising Policy, FAQs and tools to support your decision making. Trish Johnson Manager Ethics and Professional Issues

Ethics

Kelly Williams Ethics Advisor Nadia Marussinszky Ethics Advisor

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Speak Out | April 2021