Speak Out October 2020 DIGITAL EDITION FINAL

Dr Patricia Bradd Chair Ethics Board As someone passionate about high standards of ethical clinical care, it was a privilege to be involved in the review of the Speech Pathology Australia Code of Ethics in my role as Chair of the Ethics Board. The revised Code was informed by extensive consultation with members from all across Australia, along with other key organisations and stakeholders. A dedicated and hard-working subgroup from the Ethics Board spent countless hours alongside our SPA Ethics team (Trish and Nadia) considering feedback from members as well as information on best practice internationally from both speech pathology and other professional associations as we shaped the new document. The team aimed to make the revised Code accessible and relevant to members, whilst embedding the core elements of diversity, human rights, client autonomy and evidence-based practice. Our hope is that you find the revised Code of Ethics both valuable and useful in your professional life. The revision of the Code of Ethics has provided us all with an opportunity to reflect more closely about what are the important ethical benchmarks we wish to promote for members of our profession. With so many changes to the profession in recent years, as well as developments in preparing our students to enter the profession, we need to be crystal clear about what our expectations of professional behaviour are. Increasingly, members of the public, our consumers, are consulting our code of ethics when they are concerned about how they are treated or what they have experienced from speech pathologists. Thus, it has become increasingly important that we needed to revise the code in terms of its language, clarity and relevance to current (and foreseeable) practice. Members of the Ethics Board hope the revision will be helpful to all speech pathologists, wherever they work, in their everyday practice and as they manage their careers, alongside to the newly designed lifelong Professional Standards for Speech Pathologists in Australia. Reviewing the Code of Ethics was an opportunity to reflect on the values that inform and drive how speech pathologists interact with others and behave in their workplaces. Values are core to professional practice and during the Review of the Code, it was important to articulate values that meaningfully reflect our expectations of ourselves and our colleagues. The revised Code clearly expresses our ethical values, incorporating the dynamic nature of our profession and contemporary understanding of what ‘being ethical’ means; a powerful message for our profession and the community. Values, in the revised Code, clearly draw upon person and relationship- centred care, respect for the unique characteristics of individuals and communities and the importance of building communication accessible communities. The values also reflect our understanding of professional community and building a professional culture that respects and cares for all members. SPA 2020 Code of Ethics Ethics Board member reflections Dr Susan Block Senior Member Ethics Board Dr Belinda Kenny Senior Member Ethics Board

Ethics

10

Speak Out | October 2020