Annual Report 2015 Speech Pathology Australia

1 Strategic Imperative INFLUENCE

1.1 Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) is the leading organisation for policy-relevant information and data regarding communication and swallowing disorders. 1.2 SPA influences policy that has a direct impact, or a potential future impact on speech pathology professional practice. 1.3 SPA influences positive societal change in relation to communication and swallowing disorders.

Policy and Advocacy Across 2015 more than 30 executive level meetings with Federal and State/Territory parliamentarians, department officials and advocacy groups were conducted. While many meetings directly related to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry into the “Prevalence of different speech, language and communication disorders and speech pathology services in Australia”, other meetings also focused on specific federal and state based advocacy areas including disability (NDIS), aged care, justice, mental health, and students with disability in schools. Certain advocacy highlights include: • Meetings with Senators, Federal and Shadow Ministers and advisors across health, education, disability, aged care, and mental health. Government Department of Social Services, April 2015 • NDIS Assistance Technology Equipment Discussion Paper, National Disability Insurance Agency, February 2015. • Select Committee on Access to the South Australian Education System for Students with Disabilities, Legislative Council of South Australia, September 2015 • Senate Inquiry into 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, Senate Education and Employment Reference Committee, September 2015 • Parliamentary Inquiry into Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Standing Committee on Health, August 2015 • ACT Students with Complex Needs and Challenging Behaviour, Australian Capital Territory Government, July 2015 • Early Childhood Intervention National Guidelines, Early Childhood Intervention Association, July 2015 • Inquiry into End of Life Choices, Victorian Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee, July 2015 • Inquiry into the violence, abuse and neglect against people with disability in institutional and residential settings, Senate Community Affairs References Committee, June 2015 • Electronic Health Records and Healthcare Identifiers: Legislation Discussion Paper, Australian Government Department of Health, June 2015 • Review of the Disability Standards for Education 2005, Australian Government Department of Education, May 2015 • Draft Clinical Guidelines for Dementia, NHMRC Partnership on Dealing with Dementia and Related Functional Decline in Older People (CDPC), May 2015 • NDIS Quality and Safety Framework, National Disability Insurance Agency, April 2015 • Commonwealth Home Support Programme Manual and Good Practice Guide Consultation Feedback, Australian

Submissions A key focus of the Association’s policy and advocacy activity in 2015 was making submissions to a range of Federal and State Government inquiries and consultative processes. This activity included over 17 written submissions on a diverse range of issues, including: • University of Canberra Public Hospital, ACT Government, December 2015 • Private Health Insurance Review, Australian Government Department of Health, December 2015 • MBS Review Taskforce, Australian Government Department of Health, November 2015 • Review of Program for Students with Disabilities, Victorian Government, October 2015 • Development of My Health Record Education and Training Package, Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association, October 2015

Speech Pathology Australia Chief Executive Officer Gail Mulcair, SPA Director Tim Kittel, Diana Bleby, SPA National President Gaenor Dixon, Jenny Moody and The Hon. Kelly Vincent.

6 2015 ANNUAL REPORT Speech Pathology Australia