Speak Out June 2017

Ethics news

When communication breaks down CLEAR AND TIMELY COMMUNICATION IS VITAL TO EVERY ASPECT OF SPEECH PATHOLOGY PRACTICE.

her wish to have the assessment report for the paediatrician’s appointment. Query “I graduated 6 months ago and worked in a private practice but I’ve now resigned because I got a job closer to home. I finished up 2 weeks ago but I haven’t got my final pay yet. Can she hold back the money? Can you call the speech pathologist to ask her when I will get paid?” Discussion Discussion identified that the speech pathologist had not contacted her previous employer since leaving to ask about the money herself. This was because she hadn’t yet finished all of the paperwork that was required, including file notes, assessment reports and handover notes. The employer gave her a list of files to complete and she agreed to do that, but didn’t get a chance before she left as she had a full list of appointments booked right up until her last day and she was busy in her new job. The caller doesn’t want to contact the employer about the money as she hadn’t completed the work yet. Ethical issues The speech pathologist has an obligation to her previous employer to provide completed paperwork within a reasonable time frame, which should have been before she finished at the practice. If she was finding it difficult to complete the work because she was too busy before she left, it would have been reasonable to approach her employer to discuss a realistic workload in her last few weeks, to provide enough time to finish the paperwork. Further discussion also highlighted that she was not staying up to date with client files prior to her resignation period. This was not discussed with her employer as she was worried about giving the impression that she wasn’t up to the job. The employer has an obligation to provide the final payment within an appropriate time frame. Advice for the speech pathologist: draw up a schedule for herself to ensure the paperwork is completed within the next few days, then stick to that schedule. Call her previous employer to

A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION of contacts with National Office to talk about ethical concerns relate to the demonstration of appropriate communication with clients and colleagues. This includes calls and emails from SPA members and members of the public. Below are some hypothetical examples drawn from a range of conversations. These three scenarios highlight how important clear and timely communication is in every aspect of our practice. Being proactive in discussing any aspect of our work with clients or our employer/employees is key to avoiding communication breakdown. Query “I’ve taken my 4-year-old son to a speech pathologist for an assessment. I paid the bill on the day and now I’ve got another bill in the mail, which says I have to pay before she will give me the report. I need that report tomorrow for the appointment with the Paediatrician, what should I do?” Discussion It was revealed that the mother was not given a list of fees prior to the initial appointment. She was handed a couple of pieces of paper at the end of the assessment session, but she hadn’t read them and couldn’t find them now, so she was not sure if a fee schedule was included. The speech pathologist didn’t discuss the breakdown of costs with the mother, to ensure that she understood the assessment report would need to be paid for separately. Ethical issue Had the mother given informed financial consent? The speech pathologist has an obligation to provide sufficient information about the fees that will be charged, and to make sure the client understands that information. This should mean more than simply providing a handout at the end of a session without discussion or the opportunity for the client to ask questions. Advice for the mother: Some speech pathologists bundle the total cost of assessment and report together into one cost, and some separate the costs. The mother was reassured that she could call the speech pathologist to talk about this situation, to ask for an explanation of the fee schedule, and to discuss

28

June 2017 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out