Speak Out August 2021

Association NEWS

New project to capture data about the profession

We are pleased to welcome Dr Nicole McGill to the Senior Advisor Evidence Based Practice and Research role. Nicole will be taking over this role from Dr Cori Williams. Dr Cori Williams will continue with the Association on specific projects as she moves towards retirement. Dr Cori Williams has been pivotal in supporting SPA and the membership recognising the importance of evidence-based practice and more recently advocating for the Evidence Based Practice for Speech Pathology in Australia be a core association document. Dr Nicole McGill is an adjunct research associate at Charles Sturt University. Her research interests include speech pathology waiting lists, service delivery and access, rural health, workforce issues, and childhood speech sound disorders. Her recent research explored speech pathology waiting lists and waiting list management strategies throughout the world. Nicole is passionate about translational research and evidence- building in real-world clinical contexts. Nicole was an associate investigator on a NSW Health Translational Research Grant (2017-2019) and was the recipient of Speech Pathology Australia will be working with Drs Anna Moran and Susan Nancarrow from AHP Workforce, the SPA membership, employers and peak bodies to capture and understand the speech pathology workforce and to understand the future needs of the profession and community. From 25+ years examining the Allied Health Workforce internationally, AHP Workforce understand that accurate and reliable workforce data will underpin the realisation of the aspirational vision for speech pathology in Australia outlined in Speech Pathology 2030 - making futures happen. AHP Workforce is working alongside two data partners to create Australia’s first interactive geospatial map of the speech pathology profession. This map will enable a comparison of speech pathology ratios by geographic area and population demand, determined by a range of factors, including age groups, socio-economic status and health determinants.

For this to provide the best quality data for the profession, the Association and AHP Workforce will need your help and participation! In the second half of this year, we will launch a campaign to gather data from you that will inform the workforce map. The tool is only as good as the data you can provide us! So please take the time to respond to the questionnaire when it lands in your inbox. If you have any queries about the project please contact Stacey Baldac, sbaldac@speechpathologyaustralia.

Introducing Dr Nicole McGill Senior Advisor Evidence-Based Practice and Research

Speech Pathology Australia’s Nadia Verrall Memorial Research Grant in 2018. Her prior research includes collaborating with clinicians and researchers to design a website and evaluate its effectiveness in supporting children and families on waiting lists via a randomised controlled trial. Nicole has published journal articles and presented her research at conferences both nationally and internationally. Her

Photo used with permission from Kellie Crosier Photography

previous academic roles include rural health academic network coordinator, project officer, guest lecturer, tutor, and research assistant. Nicole has also worked clinically as a speech pathologist across health, disability, education, and private sectors and is looking forward to collaborating with speech pathologists in her new role as Speech Pathology Australia’s Senior Advisor Evidence Based Practice (EBP) and Research.

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August 2021 | Speak Out