Speak Out February 2019

Association news

2018 in policy & advocacy In June 2018, Speech Pathology Australia’s CEO, Gail Mulcair and National Advisor Disability, Cathy Olsson, appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on the NDIS’s Inquiry into market readiness for provision of services under the NDIS.

THROUGHOUT THE YEAR the Association has focused on engaging with key stakeholders regarding important policy, funding and service issues, in particular those relating to the implementation of the NDIS, aged care reform and advocating for communication intermediaries in the justice sector. The NDIS The roll out of this major reform kept the policy and advocacy team extremely busy in 2018 with a number of ongoing issues and concerns, including third party verification, pricing for therapy supports, assistive technology, developmental language disorder and oral eating and drinking mealtime supports. We expect that our advocacy efforts will continue to be dominated by the NDIS throughout 2019. Policy and advocacy work in a nutshell: Submissions 26 written submissions were made. Meetings The Association met with a number of elected members of parliament and/or their advisors, other government department representatives, commissioners and the NDIA. Hearings In response to our consultation submissions, the Association was invited to appear at the following key committee hearings: • Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport’s Inquiry into the Quality of Care in Residential Aged Care Facilities. • Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s Inquiry into market readiness for provision of services under the NDIS. • Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s Inquiry into Provision of services under the NDIS Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) Approach. • Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme’s Inquiry into Assistive Technology. Reports SPA was referenced and/or quoted in a number of major reports using details from our submissions and/or evidence given by our

representatives appearing at the above listed public hearings: • Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme report Transitional Arrangements for the NDIS. • Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme report Market readiness for provision of services under the NDIS. • The Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport report on the Inquiry into the Quality of Care in Residential Aged Care Facilities in Australia. • Joint Standing Committee on the National Disability Insurance Scheme - Provision of assistive technology under the NDIS. Examples of some key outcomes/advocacy successes • An interim solution regarding the responsibility for provision of oral eating and drinking mealtime supports for clients eligible for the NDIS - while we are pleased to finally have a response (albeit ‘interim’) to this issue, which was first raised with the NDIA by SPA two years ago, we are now seeking clarification about what this means for participants who are already part way into a plan but have not been provided with funded supports for assessment, and/or the provision of a mealtime guideline for oral eating and drinking, and how long it will be before a permanent solution is agreed and what that will look like. We have been assured by NDIA that we will have a response to these queries. • Improvements in the provision of Assistive Technology under the NDIS – the NDIA is implementing a series of practical improvements in the first half of 2019 based on recommendations by SPA (and others). The Association welcomes these changes and will continue to advocate for members and their clients regarding the importance of timely access to appropriate AAC/AT items, and workable processes for equipment recommendations and provision. • Input into the Royal Commission into Aged Care - SPA representatives were invited to participate in a roundtable to inform the Terms of Reference for the Aged Care Royal Commission.

14

February 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

Speak Out