Speak Out Feb 2020 DIGITAL EDITION. pdf

Policy & advocacy

Policy and advocacy: 2019 in review LEFT: Professor Sharynne McLeod, Derek Munn the Director Policy and Public Affairs, Royal College of Speech Language Therapists and Speech Pathology Australia Chief Executive Office Gail Mulcair, outside the UN building in New York. ABOVE: Association Vice President Communications, Belinda Hill at the UN.

For those of you who read our half-yearly update in the August edition of Speak Out , we apologise for any overlap/repetition as we now present a summary of our activities for the whole year. Consultation submissions In 2019 we responded to 20 consultations. Not all submissions being equal however, we have been particularly busy responding to and preparing for Royal Commissions into Aged Care Quality and Safety, and Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability as both have resulted in subsequent/ follow-up requests for further information on particular areas of focus. These will continue well into 2020. For example, the public hearings for the Disability Royal Commission inquiry has already spawned further consultations into specific areas such as education and learning, group homes, people with cognitive disability and experiences with the criminal justice system. Furthermore, following the release of its interim report the Royal Commission into Aged Care has also called for submissions regarding the proposed aged care program redesign. Another key consultation related to the MBS Review Allied Health Reference Group report, which presented 18 recommendations, all of which Speech Pathology Australia supports, especially those we feel promote better access to speech pathology services and enhanced communication between allied health professionals and General Practitioners to improve coordination of care. With regard to the MBS Review Mental Health Reference Group, the Association called for the role of speech pathology in mental health services to be better recognised and requested speech pathology to be added to the panel of professions able to access the MBS mental health items. An example of effective collaborative advocacy was the successful outcome of the campaign led by Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) to delay the roll out of the DVA Treatment Cycle Initiative until further consultation and planning occurred. NDIS Mealtime supports We had long advocated for funding the planning and provision of mealtime supports for people with disability, and therefore welcomed the eventual decision by the NDIA for dysphagia supports, including the development of oral eating and drinking Some advocacy “wins” DVA Treatment Cycle Initiative

care plans and swallowing therapy, as well as thickener and tracheostomy equipment, to be funded by the NDIS. Price guide changes These came into effect on 1 July 2019 and included increases for both therapeutic supports, and early childhood supports The NDIA confirmed that they will be implementing a specific strategy to improve the timely access of young children to early intervention. Quality and Safeguarding Commission From 1 July 2019 the National Quality and Safeguarding requirements were expanded to include Victoria, Tasmania, ACT, the Northern Territory and Queensland, so the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Commission now oversees governance in all states except WA. Notable meetings SPA representatives met with five state Ministers/Shadow Ministers, six groups of state/federal Ministerial Advisers and the Federal Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Senator Richard Colbeck. Other advocacy opportunities In her role as Chair of Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA), The Association's CEO represents allied health on the Primary Health Reform Steering Group, appointed by the Government to help develop a Primary Health Care 10-Year Plan. SPA at the United Nations Speech Pathology Australia representatives, alongside UK based partners, raised awareness of communication disability on the global stage at side event discussions and presentations as part of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Sincere thanks to all of you who contributed to the many submissions and policy positions developed in 2019. We look forward to working directly with some of you on policy and advocacy issues again in 2020 and continuing to advocate on behalf of all our members and their clients. Mark Smith Manager Policy and Advocacy Sandy Fowler Senior Policy Officer (including some non face-to-face activities). Early Childhood Early Intervention

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February 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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