Speech Pathology Australia - Allied Health Assistant Feature

EARLY CAREER SUPERVISORS OF AHAs

E arly career speech pathologists are sometimes asked to supervise allied health assistants (AHAs). As new professionals, this might be a daunting undertaking. SPA’s Position Statement: Working with Support Workers confirms that selecting appropriate tasks to be delegated and structuring the appropriate learning for support workers is a complex activity. It also states that this should be undertaken by those with experience and knowledge in supervision and delegation. However, this document affirms that new graduate speech pathologists have the skills and knowledge to supervise support staff as outlined by the Professional Standards . How can early career members who feel unsure about their skills in supervision and delegation appropriately supervise AHAs? Supervision in supervision The Association recommends that early career members include discussions regarding supervision of AHAs in their own supervision sessions. A supervisor can guide early career members in identifying which tasks are appropriate to be delegated, understanding how to support AHAs in the delivery of services, setting clear goals and expectations for AHA sessions, managing issues that may arise, monitoring client progress, and maintaining appropriate records. A supervisor may also be instrumental in helping the early career member to identify individual learning needs and appropriate resources to upskill where needed. Resources Although there are few courses or formal trainings to help early career members prepare to supervise AHAs, various resources may support the development of skills required for effective supervision. Speech Pathology Australia has created various documents to support members in working with AHAs. In addition, the Association’s Parameters of Practice document, appendix B, provides a detailed list of speech pathology tasks that may and may not be delegated to AHAs.

Various states have AHA frameworks, some of which include supervision guidelines and even online learning modules and instructive videos. These can be found through the NSW Ministry of Health, Queensland Health , and Health Victoria . Some of the skills that benefit clinical supervisors may also support the supervision of AHAs. These are listed in frameworks such as SPA’s Supervision Standards , and the Health Workforce Australia National Clinical Supervision Competency Resource . Using these frameworks to identify their own learning needs, early career members might then engage in relevant clinical supervision professional development . Although early career members sometimes find supervising AHAs a challenging new experience, accessing their own supervision and other resources can help them be successful. Nathan Cornish-Raley Professional Support Advisor

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June 2021 | Speak Out