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ethics news

Support for members in ethical decision making

Speech pathologists make countless decisions every day, in both our personal and professional lives. We belong to a professional community with a common set of values, principles and standards which guide us in making appropriate and ethical decisions. So how can we find support, and support each other, to apply the Code of Ethics (2010) in a relevant, proactive way? Members of SPA have access to many types of support for ethical decision making within professional practice. A key responsibility of my role as the Senior Advisor for Ethics and Professional Issues is to provide impartial advice and support for members regarding the application of the Code of Ethics to professional practice. I am available during office hours Monday to Thursday to discuss any aspect of ethical decision making or concerns you may have regarding the ethical issues inherent in our work. All communication with me (phone or email) is confidential. It is a reflection on our profession’s commitment to making proactive and appropriate decisions that roughly 90% of all the phone calls I receive are

from speech pathologists wishing to discuss the ethics involved in an aspect of professional practice (the remaining 10% of calls are from members of the public). Frequently this results in the two of us consulting the code (kept handily beside my phone!) and discussing which principles or standards are inherent in the situation. The code applies to all activities across the scope of speech pathology practice, reflecting the value base of our profession and the principles that guide our decisions. By practising the application of the ethical principles within the code and reflecting on our actions with regard to standards of practice, we can increase the consistency of our ethical decision making. The code is a useful guide for our everyday practice and regularly assists in finding clarity within a complex situation. It is not surprising that during the phone calls I receive, once the relevant section/s of the code have been identified, appropriate actions or decisions are more easily identified. By undertaking reflective practice we can consciously interpret and apply the code to our individual work settings.

Discussions between colleagues, individually or in teams, can help us to reflect on what demonstrates ethical practice in speech pathology, so that we can apply the agreed principles and standards in a proactive way, not just as a reaction to a specific dilemma. Reference materials such as the SPA Clinical Guidelines , Position Statements and databases such as speechBITE can be used to support those discussions. The Ethics Education Package is also available to all members ( free to download ), which can be used to explore and apply different theoretical ethical decision making frameworks to our own work setting. Another benefit is that working through the package can count as a professional development activity for CPD points. So if you find yourself contemplating a situation where the path forward is not clear, talk to a colleague, use the materials available on the SPA website , or give me a call – you don’t need to feel alone in your decision making. trish johnson Senior Advisor, Ethics and Professional Issues

How to hide reviews on your practice’s Facebook page

The Code of Ethics Policy – Advertising states that testimonials are not to be used in advertising for speech pathology services. Facebook reviews of your service are considered to be testimonials, therefore should not be displayed in any advertising you have control over. If you have a Facebook page for your practice, you can hide reviews: go to the Reviews page, click on the Manage button, then Hide section . Disclaimer: This information may not be accurate for all Facebook profiles/business accounts. Please see Facebook help options if necessary.

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Speak Out October 2015

Speech Pathology Australia