Annual Report 2015 Speech Pathology Australia

• Invited Parliamentary Briefing of South Australian Members of the Legislative Council, hosted by Hon Kelly Vincent, MLA • Appearance at the Senate Community Affairs References Committee on “Inquiry into the current levels of access and attainment for students with disability in the school system, and the impact on students and families associated with inadequate levels of support” • Opening address at 2015 National Conference by The Hon Sussan Ley, Minister for Health • Attendance at key policy consultations, including: - Review of Medicare Benefits Schedule Consultation with Health Professions and subsequent MBS Stakeholder forums - Primary Health Care Advisory Group Allied Health consultative forum - National Strategic Framework for Chronic Conditions consultative forum

framework of action that will guide the ICP founding organisations as they advocate for higher profile and status of communication disabilities with international bodies and policy makers for the purpose of securing explicit recognition of communication disabilities in world health policy. Additionally, all founding organisations have pursued and undertaken their own International Communication Project

work locally throughout 2015. This work is continuing in 2016.

Peak Body Representation Speech Pathology Australia has maintained representation throughout 2015 on the following bodies: • National Aged Care Alliance • Mental Health Australia • National Rural Health Alliance • Consumers Health Forum • Allied Health Professions Australia • National Alliance of Self Regulating Health Professions • Professions Australia • National Primary Healthcare Partnership • DVA Health Consultative Forum Working Groups and Task Forces Speech Pathology Australia President Gaenor Dixon, Senator Rachel Siewert and Professor Sharynne McLeod at the Senate hearing on 25 September. • ABS Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers Working Group (SDAC) • Federal Department of Health Aged Care Standards Technical Advisory Group • South Australian Transforming Helath Allied Health and Scientific Professional Associates Group • NDIS Ealry Childhood Intervention National Guidelines Working Group • Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development Learning Difficulties and Dsylexia Working Group

The Hon Sussan Ley, Minister for Health during her opening address at the 2015 National Conference.

International Communication Project Speech Pathology Australia was one of the founding organisations behind the International Communication Project 2014. In 2015, the aim of ICP was to “[E]nsure global health policy explicitly recognises, covers, informs, and addresses communication disabilities”. Arising from this new direction, the ICP engaged Weber Shandwick, an internationally recognised consulting business, to give effect to this new gaol. The Weber Shandwick brief is to help strengthen the ICP’s international advocacy endeavours and efforts to have communication disorders and disabilities formally recognised by international health policy, international health policy makers, and international health organisations. In achieving this, Weber Shandwick is to develop a

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2015 ANNUAL REPORT Speech Pathology Australia