SpeakOut_Oct2015_FINAL_lo res
speak out OCTOBER 2015
2015 Book of the year awards The winners...
Also inside The wrap-up from SPWeek 2015, Talk With Me !
speak out OCTOBER 2015 Highlights in this issue...
National Office Level 1/114 William Street Melbourne VIC 3000 T 1300 368 835 F 03 9642 4922 E office@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Chief Executive Officer Gail Mulcair T 03 9642 4899 E execassist@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Speech Pathology Australia Board Gaenor Dixon – President Robyn Stephen – Vice President Communications Belinda Hill – Vice President Operations Chyrisse Heine – Director Tim Kittel – Director
Brooke Sanderson – Director Asher Verheggen – Director
Follow Speech Pathology Australia via:
https://www.facebook.com/SpeechPathologyAustralia
2015 Book of the year Your poster and bookmark included in the October mailout!
https://twitter.com/SpeechPathAus
http://instagram.com/speechpathologyaus#
http://www.youtube.com/user/SpeechPathAus
Copyright © 2015 The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Speak Out is the official bi-monthly magazine of The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Ltd. Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) owns the copyright to Speak Out and no part of this magazine may be reproduced without the explicit permission of SPA. Write to us Letters can be sent to pubs@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Letters may or may not be published in future issues of Speak Out magazine at SPA’s discretion. Advertisements Please refer to the ‘Publications’ menu at www.speechpathology australia.org.au to view the 2015 Speak Out ad kit. Any queries may be directed to SPA's Publications Officer T 1300 368 835 E pubs@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Advertising Booking Dates for December 2015 Speak Out The official booking form must be received at National Office by COB Tuesday 3 November 2015 . Speak Out Branch Editors ACT – via pubs@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au New South Wales – Jesica Rennie and Eryka Arteaga Northern Territory – Bea Staley Queensland – Leanne Sorbello, Catherine Hicks, Erika Campbell and Rebecca Sexton South Australia – Emma Leeson and Josie Kemp Tasmania – Kate Day Victoria – Shane Erickson Western Australia – Johanna Eppler Please see the website for Branch Editor contact details. Disclaimer To the best of The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited’s (‘the Association’) knowledge, this information is valid at the time of publication. The Association makes no warranty or representation in relation to the content or accuracy of the material in this publication. The Association expressly disclaims any and all liability (including liability for negligence) in respect of use of the information provided. The Association recommends you seek independent professional advice prior to making any decision involving matters outlined in this publication. Print Post Approved PP349181/01711 ISSN 1446-053X
Page 11: The wrap-up from Speech Pathology Week 2015, Talk With Me !
contents 3 From the President
20 National CPD update 23 EOIs sought: Laryngology Clinical Guideline 24 Professional Practice news 25 Spotlight on Professional Support 26 Ethics news 27 Branch news:
4 Latest News
• Senate Inquiry • Private Practice Survey Results • Membership renewal and PSR update • August Board meeting • SPWeek 2015 • NDIS update • Board nominations • Welcome Rebecca Bluschke 14 2015 Book of the Year 16 Research update 17 Study Tour insights 18 2016 National Conference news
• New South Wales • Northern Territory • Queensland • Southern Australia • Tasmania • Victoria • Western Australia
2
Speak Out October 2015
Speech Pathology Australia
From the President
As I write this month’s introduction, the sun is shining between storms, and my jacaranda buds are beginning to burst into their glorious purple blossom. The seasons have changed, and Brisbane’s warmer wetter season is on its way.
Jacaranda blossom in Southern Queensland, signifying the end of the traditional academic year; our student members are busy studying, whilst our academic members are busy finalising teaching and assessments for the semester. Good luck and congratulations to all those involved! Branches will be busy planning ‘Welcome to the Profession’ events for the newly graduating cohort of students. It would be great for as many speech pathologists as possible to attend these events and meet the future of our profession. See your Branch e-News for more information. As you start to see the end of the year, don’t forget that mandatory CPSP status for all practising members will be in place for 2016. That means you will need to meet the annual points requirement for CPSP in 2015. Further information on this can be found on page eight. A strong, evidence-based profession is vital for the best outcomes for our clients. And talking of ongoing professional development – don’t forget to start saving and planning for your trip to the Perth Conference in May 2016, the keynote speakers are announced in this issue. I look forward to meeting you there (and hearing and meeting our keynote speakers)! Our advocacy works continues, and I would like to thank all those members who have provided their expertise and knowledge to the development of submissions to various inquiries and reviews. Outlined in this edition is a snapshot of the data provided through the Private Practice Survey (page six). This data was collected to inform the reviews of Primary Health Care and Medicare. Professor Sharynne McLeod and I were invited to present to the Australian Government Senate Standing Committee on Education and Employment inquiry into Current Levels of Access and Attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on families associated with inadequate levels of support .
The presentation (the introduction to which can be found on page four), and our submission focussed on the need to have speech pathologists as an integral part of the school team. The submission was informed by Professor McLeod’s research on the effects of speech, language communication needs on student performance on NAPLAN. This work attracted media interest with the East Coast major dailies and a national paper running an article. More information about this work can be found on pages 4 and 5. Thanks go to Ronelle Hutchinson, SPA's Policy and Advocacy Manager; Michael Kerrisk, SPA's Communications and Marketing Manager; Gail Mulcair, Chief Executive Officer; and Professor Sharynne McLeod for all your work with this. Northern Territory Member Amanda O’Keefe and Ronelle Hutchinson attended the National Rural Health Alliance conference and met with many politicians to talk about the difficulties associated with accessing the right services at the right time in rural and remote Australia. An unexpected benefit of the meeting was being in Canberra at the time of the leadership spill! October brings Book of the Year to Brisbane this year. The awards are being hosted by the State Library of Queensland. This edition of Speak Out gives you a sneak peek into the winners – but shhh… it is a secret until 15 October (more info on page 14). At the time of writing Queensland has finally announced its early launch sites of the NDIS, and New South Wales and Victoria have signed up to the full roll-out of the scheme. The NDIS is continuing to raise questions and concerns with members – but Super Speechie on page 12 has it all under control! I think that I am now over my allocated space – so much to say, so little space to say it in… Enjoy this month’s bumper issue of Speak Out, catching up with all the latest Association News. gaenor dixon National President
Speak Out October 2015
3
www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
association news
senate inquiry
On the 25 September , SPA President Gaenor Dixon and Professor Sharynne McLeod appeared before the Senate Education and Employment References Committees at a hearing in Brisbane for the inquiry into the ‘current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on students and their families associated with inadequate levels of support’. Following is the opening statement made by Gaenor Dixon. Ronelle Hutchinson Manager, Policy and Advocacy Speech Pathology Australia’s key messages for the Senate Inquiry into Students with Disabilities
Gaenor Dixon, SPA President: Thank you for inviting us to speak with you today.
Our evidence today focuses on an impairment that is common to many, many disability conditions and one that fundamentally impacts on how a student participates in and achieves at school – that is, communication disability. By this we mean significant difficulties relating to speaking, hearing, listening, understanding, reading, writing and social skills. Speech Pathology Australia is the national peak body for speech pathologists representing more than six and half thousand members. Speech pathologists are the allied health practitioners who specialise in treating speech, language, communication disorders and swallowing difficulties. In some states and territories, speech pathologists are employed directly by Departments of Education, or increasingly by school principals who recognise the value in having expert advice about supporting students with communication problems. Evidence from a number of high quality Australian studies indicate that about one in five children starting school have a speech, language or communication impairment that will impact on their ability to access, participate and achieve at school. As verbal and written ‘language’ is the medium of learning in our school systems, students with communication disability are at a profound disadvantage from the outset. These students need to be identified early, before they begin school and then supported so that they can participate and achieve. Whilst there are a range of relatively common disability conditions such as Autism where communication impairment is usually a characteristic, there are also specific speech and language disorders that can occur without the existence of other disability conditions. So we can have students where communication impairment is a characteristic of another disability, however, the majority are students where their only disability is communication. There are also a group of students with complex communication needs who require the use of what we call Augmentative and Alternative Communication – things such as communication boards, iPads with symbol communications or speech generating devices – these students face very specific challenges in participating and achieving at school, particularly in mainstream schools.
From left: SPA President Gaenor Dixon, Senator Rachel Siewert and Professor Sharynne McLeod at the Senate hearing on 25 September.
It is important to understand that very few students with communication disability (without a co-occurring disability like Autism) are eligible for individualised targeted funding. However all students with communication disability require adjustments and support to allow them to access the curriculum and participate at school. What we do know is that the impacts of communication disability is far reaching and life long – resulting in poor educational outcomes, early school leaving, reduced employment opportunities, increased risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system and an increased likelihood of social, emotional, behavioural and mental health issues. I am pleased to have with me today, Professor Sharynne McLeod, who, with a team of researchers from Charles Sturt University, for the first time have analysed the NAPLAN outcomes for students with communication impairments. Sharynne’s team have released the results ahead of publication in peer-reviewed journals in order to inform the discussions and considerations of your committee.
4
Speak Out October 2015
Speech Pathology Australia
Demonstrating NAPLAN outcomes for students with communication impairment
Research conducted by Charles Sturt University researchers, Professors Sharynne McLeod, Linda Harrison and Dr Cen Wang, from the Research Institute for Professional Practice, Learning and Education at Charles Sturt University, with
From left: Ronelle Hutchinson, Senator Sue Lines (Chair of Committee), Gaenor Dixon and Sharynne McLeod at the hearing.
Sharynne’s research found that students with speech and language problems achieve significantly lower scores on every NAPLAN test including reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy at every year level of testing than students without these problems. These students never ‘catch up’ to their peers, they are more likely to be excluded from NAPLAN in the first place, and they are likely to have never been seen by a speech pathologist. This research is a sobering reflection on how poorly our educational systems are supporting these students. Communication is a basic human right. It is essential for social inclusion and for participation in all aspects of life – not the least of which is education. Communication disability is poorly understood by the community and rarely addressed in public policy, and even less so in education policy. A year ago, the Senate Community Affairs References Committee concluded an inquiry into communication disorders and speech pathology and made bipartisan recommendations – we hope a government response will be received soon. We also hope that our time with you today can shed some light on the specifics about what we think the governments of Australia can do to improve education outcomes for students with communication and swallowing disability. We hope that this Committee can recognise the need to improve consistency of access to speech pathology services for students across the country – regardless of which state or sector they are being educated within. This inquiry offers a significant opportunity for the Australian government to demonstrate leadership in improving access and outcomes for students with disability – through leading national work on developing educational and support resources for schools and principals and on improving the use and effectiveness of Individual Learning Plans for these students. We would welcome further conversations with you on the specifics of our recommendations.
funding support from Speech Pathology Australia has for the first time, demonstrated the poorer educational outcomes of students with speech and language problems in Australia. The research examined NAPLAN results at years 3, 5, and 7 for 4,332 children who had speech and language problems when they began school. Children were drawn for the study from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children – a representative sample of 10,000 children commissioned by the Australian Government to examine the lives of Australian children. The research factored in any influence of gender, socioeconomic position of the family, language background other than English, Indigenous status, if the child had hearing problems and if the child was identified as having a disability (disability expected to last more than six months). The research found: • Students with speech and language problems were more likely to be excluded from NAPLAN testing than students without these problems. • Children with speech and language problems achieved significantly lower scores on every NAPLAN test (reading, writing, spelling, grammar and numeracy) at years 3, 5 and 7 compared to students without these problems. • Students who had both expressive and receptive language problems had the poorest NAPLAN outcomes. • Poorer outcomes for children with speech and language problems were observed in each of the states and territories – with little evidence that the ‘gap’ in outcomes was reduced over time. • Most students with speech and language problems had not seen a speech pathologist.
Speak Out October 2015
5
www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
association news
private practice survey
Private Practice Survey Results: 2015 In July, we conducted a survey of members who work in private practice to gather information to support our advocacy efforts in the current reviews and inquiries into primary health care and Medicare. Thank you to the 502 members working in private practice who completed the survey. This is just a snapshot of the information, knowledge and expertise you shared about working in private speech pathology practice in 2015. Ronelle Hutchinson Manager, Policy and Advocacy
Location
Where do we work?
6.7% working in not-for-profit practices/ organisations
NT <1%
QLD 29%
23.5% working in mixed public and private
69.7% working only in private practice
WA 17.3%
SA 9%
NSW 8%
ACT 3%
VIC 33%
Speech pathologists who work in both public and private spent on average 39% of their time in private practice and 61% in public. Most private practitioners work part time (58%) but a significant proportion work full time hours (42%). What is our experience in private practice?
Tas 1%
27% of private practitioners work in regional, rural or remote locations.
What type of services do we provide?
30
50% of private practitioners are sole practitioners.
25
20
Mobile service 11.4%
Clinic only 22.4%
15
10
Mix of mobile and clinic service (59.6%)
Other (including tele-practice) (6.6%)
5
0
Only 14% of private practitioners provide services through tele-practice and another 29% would like to.
<1 yr 7.5%
1–5 yrs 30%
6–10 yrs 23%
11–15 yrs 13.5%
16–20 yrs 8%
Over 20 yrs 18%
6
Speak Out October 2015
Speech Pathology Australia
Who are our clients?
Over 90% of respondents received Chronic Disease Management program referrals for the following conditions:
• Cleft palate • Head and neck cancer • Fluency/stuttering • Voice disorders • Mental health conditions • Literacy • Other conditions (such as early language delay, dysphagia).
• Stroke • Progressive Neurological conditions
• Traumatic brain injury • Global developmental delay/intellectual disability • Specific language impairment • Infant feeding
Infants (59%)
Children 2–5 years (90%)
Children 6–12 years (90%)
Adolescents 13–17 years old (66%)
Older/age 65+ (24%)
Adults 18–64 (35%)
What are the funding options for our services? • Fee for service • MBS Chronic Disease Management Item • Helping Children with Autism Package (HCWA) – Early Intervention Services • HCWA assessment and treatment Medicare items • Better Start for Children with Disability – Early intervention Services • Better Start assessment and treatment Medicare items • Medicare follow up Allied Health Service for People of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Descent • Department of Veteran Affairs • Commonwealth Home Support Programme • National Disability Insurance Scheme • Private Health Insurance (extras and private hospital private practice care) • State and territory work cover schemes • State/territory traffic accident insurance schemes • State and territory specific programs.
What we think could be improved with the CDM items? • Increase the number of sessions • Expand the eligibility of conditions • Reduce the number of allied health practitioners required in team plan • Expand to group and tele-practice delivery options • Financial recognition that the first assessment session can be time consuming • Consistency in GP decisions about eligibility • GP and patient expectation of bulk billing of SP service • Referral pathways direct from other medical specialists • Standardised referral paperwork • Require two way communication between GP and SP • Increase the rebate for services • Allowing the rebate component of the fee to be paid to the SP directly • Reduce reporting requirements • Provide remuneration for report writing and liaison with other team members.
What do our services cost?
30 minute consult Average cost $79
45 minute consult Average cost $110
60 minute consult Average cost $143
14% of private practitioners work in practices that have clinical student placements.
4.9% of practitioners regularly bulk bill for CDM items.
Speak Out October 2015
7
www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
association news
membership renewal and psr update
important changes to the PSR program come into effect in 2016 – you need to read this before you renew.
As of 2016, to be able to renew as a Certified Practising Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) member you will need to first complete your PSR Declaration and meet the annual points requirement We know that many of you will feel you have heard this message many times before (via the mail out, emails, Speak Out , National and Events e-News , the PSR webpage, and more!) BUT we need to make sure everyone knows of this change, which is effective as of the 2016 renewals. That is: As of 2016, CPSP status – full and provisional – is a requirement to be able to renew as a Practising or Full-time Postgraduate Student member, and therefore eligibility for Medicare and Private Health fund Provider Number registration, as well as other Practising membership entitlements.
• Fundamental to SPA practising membership is the speech pathologist’s obligation to maintain professional standards and abide by the Association’s Code of Ethics (Speech Pathology Australia, 2010). The Code of Ethics binds each member to “ continually update and extend our professional knowledge and skills through activities such as participating in professional development, and/or engaging the support of a mentor or supervisor ”. • SPA has a commitment to robust self-regulation processes and a strong and clear commitment to quality standards of professional practice. This is in accord with SPA’s previous and current strategic plan. • SPA has a commitment to work towards adopting the regulatory requirements that mirror those required by registered health professions, which include mandatory minimum requirements for continuing professional education. This is in line with the proposed national standards of mandatory continuing professional development for self-regulating health professions. • Stakeholders need an objective measure of a speech pathologist’s commitment to maintaining and extending their skills. • CPSP status is one of the criteria required by international speech pathology associations who are signatories to the Mutual Recognition Agreement when applying for membership of these organisations. What can I do if I’m concerned that I won’t be able to meet the requirements? • Reflect back on the professional learning you have/will undertake in 2015. • Look at the list of PSR activities that can earn points (next page) – it’s not all about going to events. • Did you read journal articles, visit websites, watch webinars, meet regularly with peers, give a talk to carers, take on a student, learn a new technology??? • Further information is available via the SPA website on the Professional Self Regulation (PSR) webpage. • If you are still concerned, please feel free to contact National Office on 1300 368 835 or email office@ speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
What is the process? When you renew online, the process will be as it was for last year – you will first need to complete the PSR Declaration. • Once you meet the requirements, you can proceed with renewing as a 2016 Certified Practising SPA member. • If you do not meet these requirements you will not be a Certified Practising member. SPA will make contact with you to discuss how you can achieve Certified Practising membership. How does this apply to me? • Practising and Full-time Postgraduate Student members – with your 2016 membership renewal, the triennium structure ceases and an annual program commences. You will need to achieve a minimum of 20 points per annum, across at least two different activity types in order to renew. • 2014 graduates who were 2015 Practising members and Provisional CPSPs in 2015 – You can become a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (with full CPSP status) on meeting requirements (with random audits to occur). • 2015 new graduates in their first year of joining as, or upgrading to, Practising membership can earn Provisional CPSP status. Your member application form includes an agreement to undertake a minimal level of clinical supervision, and professional development, as part of the Professional Self Regulation program, to be conferred with Provisional CPSP status. • Non Practising and Re-entry members – You can participate in PSR and submit points, but you cannot earn Certified status until you transfer to practising membership. Tell me again why this is being introduced… This commitment is based on a number of factors, including the following: • Inherent to speech pathology practice is the speech pathologist’s responsibility to their clients and other stakeholders to undertake “life-long learning”. This ensures their professional knowledge remains current, relevant and evidence-based.
8
Speak Out October 2015
Speech Pathology Australia
Activity types recognised in PSR and their points value are outlined below:
Activities must be relevant to professional practice as a speech pathologist, extend the knowledge and skills of the speech pathologist, and be related to the individual’s PSR plan. As it is the position of Speech Pathology Australia that “speech pathology is a scientific and evidence-based profession and speech pathologists have a responsibility to incorporate best available evidence from research and other sources into clinical practice” (as per the SPA Position Statement on Evidence-Based Practice, 2010), it is the speech pathologist’s professional responsibility to review available evidence or lack thereof in relation to professional development activities.’ The PSR program is an annual program. A minimum of 20 points per annum must be reached, with a ceiling of 12 points per activity type. A minimum of 10 points per year must be accrued in activities related to clinical practice. Activities related to clinical practice are any professional development activities that enhance your ability in direct client management. However, activities that relate purely to practice management and do not impact on direct service provision to clients would not be considered clinical practice but may still be relevant for your professional development plan and thus accrue PSR points. Independent study (Code IS) • Active reading, watching videos and internet-based learning including e-learning packages = 1 point per article/website; 3 points per book; 1 point per hour of video watched or e-learning package undertaken. An extra point can be earned if this is followed by a presentation of a summary of the material to a group of colleagues = 1 point per item presented . • Critical appraisals of evidence relevant to clinical management = 2 points per appraisal . • Rating a paper for the speechBITE™ website = 1 point per paper . • Administering assessments new to speech pathologist = 2 points per new assessment . Attendance at conferences and expositions (Code C/S) • Attendance at conferences arranged through Speech Pathology Australia or through other organisations that offer lectures or presentations with opportunity for only brief discussion or question time = 1 point per hour of attendance at a presentation . • Attendance at relevant expositions = 1 point per expo attended . Attendance at workshops and special interest groups (Code W/S) • Attendance at workshops and other events arranged through Speech Pathology Australia or other organisations that offer opportunity for discussion, practical skill development and active interaction, including workshops, videoconferences or webinars = 1 point per hour of attendance . • Attendance at special interest groups = 1 point per hour of attendance . • Online learning relevant to speech pathology practice including relevant listservs or web-based discussion, blogs, Twitter (eg #WeSpeechies), Facebook (eg SPA Member Communities) = 1 point per hour of active involvement that extends professional skills/knowledge. Teaching or presenting at a workshop or conference, to community groups, to other professionals, to client and carer groups (Code T/P) • Teaching as part of or additional to the participant’s usual work activities, provided that it enhances the presenter’s competencies by meeting the requirements of the individual’s PSR plan and is not a repeat presentation = 3 points per hour of presentation time . • Development of written information = 2 points per article or chapter . • Development of website information = 2 points per website page to a maximum of 6 points . • Presenting via online social media forums (eg Twitter Rotation Curation) = 1 point per day to a maximum 6 points for one week’s curation; 3 points per hour of the presentation on a dedicated professional topic (eg hashtag chat) . Participation in research activities and quality improvement activities (Code R/QI) • Actively engaged in planning, designing, implementing and documenting a research or quality improvement activity. This can include publication of research articles or texts = 6 points for completing project or 2 points for planning and design stage, 2 points for implementation stage and 2 points for documentation stage .
Student supervision (Code S) • Supervision of undergraduate speech pathology students in a clinic = 3 points per speech pathology student in the second half of course per placement; 1 point per speech pathology student in first half of course. • Supervision of SPA re-entry members = 3 points per speech pathologist . • Supervision of other students such as allied health assistants = 1 point per non-speech pathology student per placement . Mentoring, peer support, clinical supervision (Code M) • Supervision involves regular meetings between a senior and junior clinician with an emphasis on clinical accountability and skill development of the junior speech pathologist. • Mentoring relationships are directed by the needs of the mentee in order to develop clinical, professional and personal skills through reflective practice and support from the more experienced mentor/speech pathologist. • Peer support involves mutual support, guidance and sharing of information and resources between similarly experienced speech pathologists. • Contact can be via direct contact, email, phone or video link-up, and 1:1 or small group. All members participating in these relationships are entitled to 1 point per hour of contact. Participation in Association (Speech Pathology Australia) activities (Code A) • Active participation in Association business such as Board member, Branch executive member or editorial committee member for Association publications = 6 points per year or pro rata points as appropriate. (To claim points as a portfolio member or Branch executive member the participant must demonstrate active involvement as reflected in attendance at the majority of relevant meetings and actively undertaking tasks.) • Active contribution to position paper or article published in SPA Journals, including as a reviewer = 2 points . • Active involvement in reference groups, task groups and forums = 2 points . qualification from a university or other tertiary institution. The course must be linked to the professional goals and responsibilities of the participant. Study can be by distance education as well as by attendance at classes = Completing study towards a degree or diploma: 12 points for full-time study; 6 points for part-time study; 3 points per single subject . Mastering technology (Code T) • Developing knowledge and competence in use of medical/allied health technological procedures, computer-based equipment, computer programs, audiovisual equipment, videoconferencing and teleconferencing equipment related to professional practice = 2 points per clinical technology mastered; 1 point per non-clinical technology mastered . External study (Code ES) • External study refers to formal courses leading to a further member’s professional competence and are related to the participant’s PSR plan = points must be determined in consultation with the PSR Coordinator. • Active role in organising special interest groups or private practice associations = 2 points per year or pro rata points as appropriate . • Active involvement in Speech Pathology Week = 1 point . • Reviewer for other than Association journals = 2 points . • Shadowing and/or observation within a speech pathology clinical setting can be counted if it is relevant to professional practice as a speech pathologist, extends the knowledge and skills of the speech pathologist, is related to the individual’s PSR plan and learning objectives, and there is a reportable outcome = 2 points per day. Other (Code O) • Activity types not outlined above that are relevant, extend the
Speak Out October 2015
9
www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
august board meeting
August 2015 Board of Directors meeting report
The third Board meeting for 2015 was held on Friday 21 and Saturday 22 August 2015. Some highlights from the meeting include: • The 2015 Book of the Year ceremony will be hosted at the Queensland State Library. The award ceremony will be aligned with the State Library of Queensland’s First 5 Forever project, aimed at creating stronger language and literacy environments for 0–5 year old children. • Mr Grant Meredith’s appointment as Community Representative on the Ethics Board was extended for a further three-year term. • A number of changes to Ethics Board procedures , to be in line with current practice, were presented and accepted. • While representative meetings regarding the Senate Inquiry have now concluded, pressure is being maintained on the Government to provide a response. The Government’s response will determine the Association’s future actions. • University Accreditation Fees were reviewed, with a significant pricing increase to be implemented in January 2016. It is anticipated that the new pricing model will assist in covering costs associated with the program, as well as
supporting developments in accreditation processes and clinical education. • The Board approved the production of a Laryngology Clinical Guideline and Position Statement , with a project officer to be sought. • Completion of the Transdisciplinary Practice Position Statement has been placed on hold pending the imminent release of the National Guidelines for Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention paper, which will further inform the Association's position statement. • Project reports were received on a range of strategic areas, including: Development of a CPD framework; Speech Pathology 2025 Blueprint; Disability; Aged Care; Clinical Placement models; and Embedding Simulation in Clinical Training. • A Communications and Marketing discussion paper was presented which included projected plans for enhancements to both internal and external communications. The next Board meeting will be held on 20–21 November 2015 and will include approval of the 2016 budget. Gail mulcair Chief Executive Officer
Maximize your early language intervention services... Involve parents by using an evidence-based coaching framework
Attend an It Takes Two to Talk® Certification Workshop and gain a proven parent coaching framework from The Hanen Centre, an international leader in parent-implemented early language intervention. You’ll learn how to eectively engage parents through explicit teaching, coaching and scaolding and help them become eective language facilitators for their child. You’ll also take home a set of highly practical, easy-to-use materials for use in your It Takes Two to Talk® parent programs and your one-to-one consultations with families.
Space is limited! Register today for one of these upcoming It Takes Two to Talk workshops:
Sydney, NSW ............... Nov 18 − 20, 2015 Brisbane, QLD ............. Nov 25 − 27, 2015
Perth*, WA ................ Nov 26 - 28, 2015 Melbourne*, VIC ........ Dec 14 - 16, 2015
* indicates nearest major city
See our complete workshop schedule at www.hanen.org/workshops
10
Speak Out October 2015
Speech Pathology Australia
spWEEK 2015
SPWeek 2015 – #Talkwithme
Thank you to everyone who was involved or participated in Speech Pathology Week in 2015. The feedback from those ‘at the coalface’ was that the public awareness campaign was successful in making more Australians aware of those in our community who have a communication or swallowing difficulty. The Association ran a dedicated social media campaign throughout August to promote the week, through its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, using the @SpeechPathAus handle and the #Talkwithme and #SPweek hashtags. The Instagram and Facebook campaigns included photographs and comments from National Office staff and Association Board Directors in an effort to help ‘put a face to the name’. As a result of the campaign, the Association has been able to significantly increase its followers on all three social media platforms. The distribution of 140,000 postcards was a first for the Association during Speech Pathology Week. The postcards distributed through around 1,500 venues across Australia helped give the campaign a national impact. The success or otherwise of the postcard campaign is still to be assessed, though the ‘Talk with me’ page on the website was in the top 10 pages visited on the Association’s website during the month of August. Speech Pathology Week (23–29 August) saw the Association’s President, Gaenor Dixon, hitting the airwaves in a concerted radio media campaign. The Association was able to secure a number of radio interviews during the course of the week, all helping to promote the campaign theme: Talk with me. The media highlight of the week was an hour-long session on ABC Radio Brisbane with Kelly Higgins-Devine speaking with Gaenor Dixon, Professor Deborah Theodoros, and Professor Linda Worrall and her client Bruce Aisthorpe, about the challenges faced by speech pathologists in handling communication and swallowing disorders, and importantly, the significant and life-changing impact of these disorders on children and adults alike. There was also an on-the-ground campaign conducted by individual Speech Pathology Association members and their Branches. Displays in libraries, newspaper and radio interviews, and ‘Talk with me’ events, all helped to promote Speech Pathology Week, the speech pathology profession and the issues surrounding communication and swallowing disorders. At the two ends of the same spectrum, Kathy Osborne on the Gold Coast, secured a ‘Talk with me’ display in the Runaway Bay Library; and in Karratha, Irene Long spoke with Radio ABC Kimberley (Broome) about the challenges of being a speech pathologist in North West Western Australia. ‘Down under’, the Tasmanian Branch had ‘bestselling’ success with their No Bars On Books campaign in the lead-up to and during Speech Pathology Week. Led by Branch Chair, Rosie Martin, and ably assisted by Linda Williams, Nicole Hatch and Catherine Wood, and many others, the Branch ran a hugely effective community-wide campaign that resulted in the donation of more than 3,500 new and quality second hand books for a program to help prisoners read to their children. The No Bars On Books initiative was conducted in partnership with 936 ABC Local Radio, LINC Tasmania, the Tasmania Prison Service, the Department of Education, and 26Ten. The initiative was publicly endorsed by the Tasmanian Commissioner for Police and the State’s Attorney-General and Minister for Corrections. Michael Kerrisk Communications and Marketing Manager
Speak Out October 2015
11
www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
NDIS UPDATE
Super Speech Pathologist raises some NDIS FAQs
Super Speechie has heard about the NDIS on the TV and radio, and she knows that it is having a big impact on service delivery for children and adults with disabilities, but what will it really mean for her practice? The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) commenced roll-out in trial sites around Australia in July 2013. More than 13,000 individual participants have been provided with funding since that time, and it is anticipated that when the scheme is fully rolled out in July 2019, more than 400,000 people will be accessing supports through the NDIS. There are now trial sites running in every state and territory except Queensland, for either age or geographically defined groups. The NDIS continues to develop and modify its operations based on learning from the trial sites. As an insurance model, the NDIS has a focus on provision of early intervention (with the aim of reducing the amount of funded support required for individuals across their lifetimes). Another important feature is that funding goes directly to individuals, rather than block grant funding to providers. People with disabilities have access to more funding than was previously available, and participants are now able to exercise choice and control over how and with whom they spend their funds. Many people who were not previously able to access disability supports are now able to do so; the July 2015 quarterly report on the NDIS indicates that 41% of those who have been provided with plans have not previously accessed funded support. The traditional clients for Super Speechie’s practice have mostly been children with speech and language difficulties, as well as some children with Helping Children with Autism (HCWA) or Better Start funding, but she is keen to expand her client base. Should she register as a provider with the NDIS? As the scheme has rolled out, children who were receiving or would have been eligible for HCWA and Better Start
funding have been transitioned to NDIS funding, and it can be anticipated that these funding sources won’t continue following full scheme roll-out. There has been a growth in demand for speech pathology in all sites, and in South Australia, new and existent providers of disability focused allied health services have been significantly impacted. Many participants are choosing to access their services from single discipline private allied health providers, and create their own allied health team, rather than accessing their supports from a single provider organisation. The NDIS is also providing access to early intervention supports (funding) for children who may not have traditionally received services through the disability sector, including children whose only or primary impairment is within what the NDIS describes as ‘expressive and receptive language’. Providers are required to be registered with the NDIS to provide supports to participants who choose to have their NDIS plan (funds) managed through the NDIS. Participants who are managing their own funds are able to access their supports from anyone, and the process works in much the same way as for Super Speechie’s previous clients who were self funding. Currently the majority of participants (95%) are having some or all of their supports managed through the NDIS. The NDIS Quality and Safeguarding framework is in development, but it isn’t yet clear what future regulations will apply around service provision. Although the process of registering is a little demanding, for the foreseeable future, registered providers will benefit by having access to a much larger group of potential participants. Super Speechie decides to investigate becoming a registered provider with the NDIS. The area she services isn’t in a trial site yet, but she wants to be prepared. When can she register, and what is involved?
(NB: The SPA ‘Registering to be a NDIS Provider’ document, on the Resources webpage of the Information for Members tab, provides a step-by-step guide, including relevant links and more.) You can register to be an NDIS provider at any time that you wish to provide supports within a trial site. To date, the NDIS has opened up registration a few months before the launch of a site, and generally only to registered providers who had a service site geographically in a specific trial site. Some members who use telepractice have recently been successful in being registered as a provider in more than one trial site i.e., for trial sites other than those in which their business is physically located. Information and guidelines about registering as a provider are available on the NDIS website. The application can be completed and submitted electronically. As well as providing information about her business structure, Super Speechie also has to provide information about her suitability to provide specific supports, using the guide available. It took a while to complete, and then a while before the registration was official; Super Speechie got to know the phone number for provider support pretty well, but finally she was all ready to go. So, then what? How will participants find her? Will the NDIS planner be recommending her to participants? The NDIS doesn’t provide recommendation for specific providers to participants; this would be contrary to their important principle of offering choice and control. Participants can use the ‘Find Registered Providers’ page on the NDIS website, which lists providers under the support clusters they offer, and provides contact details and a web address. Some of the ‘supports’ offered, such as support coordination, may include identifying and organising other providers. In other cases, participants ask for suggestions from colleagues in other allied health professions as well
12
Speak Out October 2015
Speech Pathology Australia
board nominations
Speech Pathology Australia’s Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic development, implementation and evaluation of the Association's policies and procedures within the rules of the Constitution. Three Directors are elected to the Office Bearer positions of President, Vice President Operations (VPO) and Vice President Communication (VPC), which forms the Board Executive Subcommittee (BES). Under the revised Constitution Board nominations are currently being sought for four positions. Directors hold major responsibility within the Association and as such, many Directors have never previously undertaken a role with similar legal, financial and strategic management responsibilities. Every possible support and assistance is provided by experienced Directors, especially members of the Board Executive Subcommittee, the Chief Executive Officer and National Office staff. This key leadership role offers a wonderful opportunity to develop new skills and contribute significantly to the strategic direction of the Association and the speech pathology profession. Directors are required to attend four Board meetings each year. Board nomination forms and an information package are available on our website. Each nomination must address key selection criteria and completed nomination forms must be received at National Office by Friday 30 January 2015. The appointments will be effective from the 2016 Annual General Meeting in May for a period of two years. Any voting member is encouraged to nominate, while retiring Directors are eligible to renominate. Elections will be held if more than four nominations are received. For further information, please see the Director Position Description, contained within the Policy and Procedures Manual, available on the Speech Pathology Australia website or contact a current Director, or Gail Mulcair (Chief Executive Officer). Call for Board nominations NDIS Allied Health Professionals Workshops available in all trial sites Expressions of interest are now open for SPA members to participate in a workshop designed to assist Allied Health Professionals working with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). These workshops have been developed and delivered by Allied Health Professions Australia (AHPA) including SPA, and the Personal Injury Education Foundation (PIEF), and supported by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
as speech pathology. Super Speechie decides that she needs to revisit the information from the Marketing workshop that she attended, and have another look at the website for the practice, so that it provides the sort of information that NDIS participants may need to know. Those professional networks are also going to be important, and she may need some up-to-date information to allied colleagues and others who may recommend her. It has happened! Super Speechie has received the call from her first potential NDIS participant. How is it all going to work from here? The next steps may vary a little, depending on which support item Super Speechie will be offering. If the participant’s plan is being agency managed, Super Speechie will need to get the participant’s NDIS number, and their date of birth. With these in hand, she can go onto the Provider Portal via the NDIS website, and ‘connect to the participant’ and then make a claim for payment. It is relatively simple to claim for supports through the NDIS portal, and the NDIS pays promptly, usually within two to three days of the claim being submitted. Super Speechie requests a copy of the NDIS plan from the participant, so that she knows their goals and can talk through with them what type of speech pathology interventions she will provide, what the outcomes may be, how these may be measured and how often, and when it may be appropriate to review the plan. In the next edition of Speak Out , we will follow Super Speechie in her further engagement with the NDIS, as she grapples with her responsibilities as a provider of Trans-disciplinary support, developing a Service Plan, and acting as a Lead Agency! cathy olsson Project Consultant, Disability Members may view the recently posted NDIS Terminology FAQ on the SPA website. To be continued...
This full day workshop will be held in the following trial sites:
• Mon 19 October – Geelong • Wed 4 November – Canberra • Fri 6 November – Newcastle • Wed 18 November – Adelaide
• Tue 24 November – Midland Trial Site Office • Thu 26 November – Hobart.
Numbers are strictly limited , so to attend a workshop, book NOW! To register your interest, visit pief.com.au/index.php/events or for further information email info_pief@pief.com.au
Speak Out October 2015
13
www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
Made with FlippingBook