Speak Out June 2020

New ways of

working

FOR MANY MEMBERS THE IMMEDIATE WEEKS AFTER THE ONSET OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS CHALLENGING AND CONFRONTING. THERE WAS A MONUMENTAL SHIFT IN THE WAY SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS APPROACHED THEIR WORK AMID CONCERNS FOR PERSONAL SAFETY AND THAT OF THEIR FAMILY, TEAMS, STAFF AND CLIENTS. SO HOW DID MEMBERS FACE THE ADVERSITY?

A recent Association member survey showed that more than 80% of members changed the way they work in response to the community restrictions – most moved from face-to-face to telepractice. For some the pandemic and the resulting restrictions ignited innovative ideas and new ways of working that will have a lasting impact on the profession. The Association was privileged to receive a number of insights from members on their approach to their new ways of working, revealing how their adaptability and resilience shone amid the chaos. The early days For many members the early days of the pandemic were full of confusion and uncertainty. After all who has a crisis or business continuity plan for a pandemic?

Alissa Gargano is a private sole clinician working in Sydney, and pre-pandemic, was working primarily with children at school, some parent coaching, and a limited caseload of adults living with developmental issues. March saw a rapid and severe decrease in Alissa’s clients’ ability to access and engage in her service. “My March income was less than half of my income compared with February. So I had to hustle!” Before the pandemic Amelia Bayliss provided speech pathology services for adults at a clinic at Burwood in Sydney where she would travel to see clients within their homes, nursing homes and consult within hospital settings. “Prior to COVID-19, my caseload was 100% face-to-face services. Something I have always enjoyed about my work has been being able to provide therapy in the comfort of the client’s home. It’s allowed me to better understand each client, to individualise their therapy and make sure it was relevant to what they really needed. It

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June 2020 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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