Speak Out October 2016

Association news

Credentialing Framework Project Speech Pathology Australia has instigated a six month project to develop a credentialing framework to focus on recognition of expertise with a clinical area, advanced and extended scope of practice.

Who is involved? Project team

Are you interested in the role of Speech Pathology Australia in credentialing recognition of expertise within a clinical area, advanced practice and extended scope roles? Do you work in a role recognised as advanced practice or extended scope? Did you know that the only allied health specialist role recognised by the ministerial council is a podiatric surgeon? What is the project? SPA has funded a six month project to develop a credentialing framework for those who are beyond entry-level practice. The project will have a special focus on credentialing around recognition of expertise within a clinical area, advanced and “The formal processes used to verify qualifications, experience, professional standing and other professional attributes for the purpose of forming a view about their competence, performance and professional suitability to provide safe, high-quality healthcare services within specific organisational environments.” ( Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Healthcare 2004 , p.3) What are the benefits of this project and why has SPA initiated this? Speech Pathology Australia has initiated the project in response to member and consumer feedback. Members are seeking means to differentiate their services. Consumers, referring agencies and employing organisations are seeking means to identify expertise. It is expected that the development of a credentialing framework will facilitate a transparent, replicable, transferable and equitable approach to the recognition of expertise, within a clinical area, advance practice and extended scope of practice. The project will involve: • As the first key part of the project an environmental scan of current and best practice in credentialing and recognition of expertise within a clinical area is underway. • Once the scan is complete we will ask for your input to guide the next stage of the project: translating the findings from the scan into a credentialing framework that best fits the speech pathology context in Australia. It is likely we will call on you to respond to a survey or to take part in some interviews or focus groups. • Using your input and information from the environmental scan, a final discussion paper and credentialing framework will be constructed for presentation to the SPA Board in February • Finally, it is hoped we will have the capacity within the project to develop a pilot strategy to take the framework forward in 2017. extended scope of practice. Professional credentialing is:

Anna Moran – Credentialing Framework Project Officer Stacey Baldac – Senior Advisor Professional Standards Trish Johnson – Senior Advisor Ethics and Professional Issues Project advisory committee A project advisory committee has been assembled. It will meet formally twice, and will informally advise the project team throughout the life of the project. The advisory committee includes representatives from SPA, allied health advisors, university academics, an NDIS representative and speech pathologists working in advanced practice roles. Board of Speech Pathology Australia Updates will be provided for Board review in October and a draft framework will be presented to the Board in February 2017. You Please contact us at any time with your thoughts or input. We are particularly keen to hear from you if: • you have developed expertise in an area of speech pathology practice e.g. through a higher degree or through significant clinical experience; • you work in an area that is recognised as advanced or extended scope of practice; • you employ speech pathologists working in an area of clinical expertise, advanced or extended scope of practice; • you teach or deliver training to speech pathologists in an area of clinical expertise, advanced or extended scope of practice; • you have systems or processes in place that help you to identify where clinical expertise, advanced or extended scope of practice may be required in your workplace; • you have systems or processes in place that help you to manage competency around clinical expertise, advanced or extended scope of practice in your workplace. About Anna Moran After graduating as a physiotherapist in 2001 from Sydney University (and after a few interesting segues, including a two month stop in St Petersburg to learn Russian), I was fortunate enough to stumble into a wonderful research position under the enduring mentorship of Professors Pam Enderby and Susan Nancarrow in Sheffield, England. It was under their supervision I gained my PhD from the University of Sheffield (exploring the role and impact of allied health assistants in community based services. I re-located to the Albury-Wodonga region eight years ago to take up a position at Charles Sturt University to lecture allied health students in what they considered the “world’s worst” subject research methodology, and coordinate the integrated Honours program only slightly more appreciated.

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October 2016 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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