Speak Out August 2018

Hydrate and

As I'm sure you're critically aware, when market based principles are applied to the provision of services such as health and disability, it is essential to also vigilantly monitor for market failure. The initial NDIS intermediate evaluation report and the Productivity Commission report on the NDIS costs both acknowledge that speech pathology services constitute a significant unmet demand. Unfortunately, the NDIS in its current form is unlikely to attract enough speech pathologists to address this lack of supply, thereby resulting in a larger number of NDIS participants, particularly those in rural and remote locations, missing out on the critical speech pathology interventions they need to maximise their participation in community and within education and employment. Indeed, this lack of supply of speech pathology services could potentially undermine the ability of individuals to exercise choice and control over their care—the core principle of the NDIS. There are, however, a number of ways, we believe, to help develop the market with regard to speech pathology services and to address some of the main concerns speech pathologists have with the NDIS at present. Briefly, these include: addressing the administrative burden and jurisdictional inconsistencies associated with the registration process and the quality and safeguarding framework verification requirements; reducing the ongoing administrative burden on providers by ensuring NDIS online systems and forms are clear, easy and quick to use; recognising and funding the many activities currently unfunded by the NDIS that are essential to support participants and their carers and to provide quality care and achieve optimal outcomes; ensuring the scheme has an appropriate pricing structure based on robust data and active consultation with the allied health associations. They also include: ensuring that the pricing structure and clinical governance structures support undergraduate clinical placements as well as supervision supports for early career practitioners, hence enabling a competent future workforce; providing system-wide funding and structural supports for services to be delivered via telepractice within the NDIS, which would help address some of the service access issues in rural and remote areas; and, importantly, providing planners with the necessary resources and training to ensure appropriate knowledge and understanding that should in turn improve the overall planning process and the quality of individual plans and minimise the need for reviews of plans, as they are not meeting participants' needs. Finally, we would ask that the NDIA work more directly with providers and peak bodies, such as ourselves and our colleagues here today, to determine consistent and practical solutions to facilitate better access to services and ensure future supply meets demand. Thank you." The full transcript of the session can be found at: www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/ Joint/National_Disability_Insurance_Scheme/ MarketReadiness/Public_Hearings

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August 2018 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out